- Gas Discharge Tubes of the Noble Gases – show that different gases give different colors when subjected to an electric discharge (H2 tube also available)
- Atomic Spectra: Flame Tests – Introduce various metal salts (e.g. NaCl, SrCl2, CuCl2) into an open flame to produce brilliant colors associated with exciting metal cations.
- Fireworks Balloons – Show the brilliant colors of metal cations in a fun way by igniting hydrogen balloons containing metal salts.
- Pickle Electrocutor – Run an electric current through a dill pickle using a special apparatus to show students that the brine in the pickle conducts electricity, and the current heats and excites the sodium atoms present to a higher energy level. The emission of photons as the sodium returns to the ground state accounts for the yellow color of the light.
- Diffraction of Light – Use a laser pointer and a slide containing eight different arrays of dots to simulate x-ray diffraction experiments.
- Show models of s, p, d, and f orbitals
- Show large styrofoam balls in two sizes to represent the 1s and 2s orbitals and a large styrofoam model of the 2p subshell
- Show a large styrofoam model of the 2s and 2p orbitals nestled together in contrasting colors
- Show a styrofoam hemisphere painted to represent a cross-sectional view of the probability distribution of electron density inside a 2s orbital