| Chemistry sets from brands like Thames Kosmos, | | | | chemical grade there is, meaning it is the most pure. It |
| Scientific Explorer and Powertech provide children with | | | | meets or exceeds American Chemical Society |
| hours of educational entertainment. The great thing | | | | standards. Chemicals graded as reagent grade can be |
| about these sets is they provide all the chemicals and | | | | used in all situations, from scientific to manufacturing. It |
| materials required to conduct the experiments. But | | | | is the only chemical grade that can be used in biological |
| what do you do when the chemicals have all been | | | | experiments. |
| used? | | | | Laboratory grade chemicals, which may also be |
| Walmart seems to have just about everything but | | | | referred to as lab, are less pure than reagent grade |
| have you ever found the chemicals aisle? Not only are | | | | chemicals, but are still of a fairly high purity. These |
| chemicals hard to find but who even knows what to | | | | chemicals would not be pure enough to use in medical |
| buy? This article explains the difference between 3 | | | | or food products, but they are usually more than |
| grades of chemicals so you can know the right | | | | adequate for science fair projects. |
| chemicals for your next school experiment, homework | | | | Technical grade chemicals are also called industrial |
| assignment or science fair project. | | | | grade, and are the least pure chemicals. Chemicals of |
| Chemistry sets can awaken an interest in chemistry | | | | this grade are typically used in industrial or commercial |
| and the physical world, setting children on a path to a | | | | applications, but may be adequate for some science |
| future career. Even the most basic chemistry sets are | | | | fair projects. These chemicals are not acceptable for |
| filled with experiments that will peak and keep the | | | | use in food or medicinal purposes. |
| interest of children who already have a basic scientific | | | | If your experiment has stringent requirements for |
| interest or knowledge, or those who are absolute | | | | chemical purity, your best bet would be purchasing |
| beginners. Chemistry experiments are designed to | | | | from a chemical supply house where you can be |
| teach things like air pressure and water tension, and | | | | assured of the grade of chemical you are purchasing. |
| how everyday things function. Some of the | | | | If you are unsure of what grade is needed for a |
| experiments work with benign objects, while others | | | | particular experiment, laboratory grade is a safe |
| require chemicals. | | | | choice. |
| Not all the experiments found in chemistry sets like the | | | | So now that you have a handle on that, where do you |
| Thames Kosmos series require the use of chemicals. | | | | go to find the chemicals you need? You don't have to |
| For those that do, it's good to know what you're | | | | buy chemistry sets to get more chemicals. You can |
| working with, and what your choices are when you | | | | actually purchase just the chemicals at various stores |
| need to purchase chemicals. | | | | (hardware store, drug store, even the grocery store) |
| Most chemicals are graded, the grade representing the | | | | rather than a chemical supply house. However, before |
| purity of the chemical. A chemical with a higher grade | | | | you get excited about that, there is a problem. When |
| has fewer impurities, or other chemicals, such as | | | | you buy from these types of stores, the chemicals are |
| metals and water, than those with a lower grade. The | | | | unlikely to be graded and may contain an unacceptable |
| cost of chemicals is in keeping with its grade: a higher | | | | level of impurities for the experiment being performed. |
| grade is more expensive than lower grades. | | | | Now you can buy the right chemical with confidence |
| Although there are several different protocols for | | | | that it will get the job done. Having the proper |
| grading chemicals, there are three basic grades that | | | | chemicals allows you to successfully conduct |
| are the most common and most likely to be used. | | | | experiments. It also allows you to replenish the supply |
| They are, from highest to lowest, reagent grade, | | | | of chemicals in your old Thames Kosmos chemistry |
| laboratory grade, and technical grade. | | | | sets so you can blow the dust off of the set and put it |
| Reagent grade, also known as ACS, is the highest | | | | back to good use. |