October 31st in Science Part 2

My favorite Chemistry demonstration without fail every year and one
everyone asks for year after year.
You have to use harder to get chemicals (esp. Potassium Iodide).
No one seems to have 30% hydrogen peroxide in their medicine cabinet
(nor should they!) - it burns! Dawn dish washing detergent works best
I've found (there are numerous "recipes" on the internet - just google
elephant toothpaste and NO you do NOT brush an elephant's teeth with this!

An rather plain clear liquid sits in the bottom of a BIG graduated
cylinder. ALWAYS assume this is going to be messy as it will be. I
always put it on a LARGE plastic garbage bag OR do it outside.
I add the detergent. Then stand back and pour in 30 ml of hydrogen
peroxide (30%). It SHOOTS out. You have to be QUICK to get a photo.
I did this twice yesterday and only got one decent photo (above).
(The "yellow" is from the iodine and yes, it stains. The whole thing
gets very hot - steam comes off but it dies down quickly. Gets lots of
oohs and ahhs and "Do it again" but now that KI is so hard to get -
I have to answer lots of questions which now lead to MORE questions now -
you want to do WHAT - "MAKE ELEPHANT WHAT??" - I'm fairly surprised I've
not had the FBI show up at my door. I'm not really sure WHAT the
terrorists DO with this stuff and I REALLY don't WANT to know but it
must be bad..)...anyway...I can only do it once now per year per class.
Chris