> chemistry > transition-metal-chemistry-complexes > complexation > make-iron-bleed-nurdrage

Make Iron BLEED

NurdRage - 2011-10-24

In this video we make iron appear to bleed.

The process is fairly simple, make a solution of:

80mg of potassium thiocyanate
10mL of water
3 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid
5 drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide. 
Shake up the mixture until completely dissolved.

Then get an iron nail and drop it in. 

As time progresses, the nail will bleed.

What's happening is first the hydrochloric acid and the hydrogen peroxide are reacting with the iron to produce iron (III) ions. These ions then react with the thiocyanate ions to produce iron thiocyanate ions. These ions are a red color and give the appearance of blood. But since it only forms near the surface of the nail, it appears the nail is bleeding.

Coherent Tiger - 2014-09-27

OH THE IRONY! BLOOD HAS IRON IN IT, AND THE IRON IS BLEEDING! X3

Coherent Tiger - 2014-12-07

WOO

Salutes

The Best Candy Effer - 2011-10-25

I love your videos! I am trying to earn my degree in Chemistry and when the work gets really hard I watch one of your videos. It reminds me why I love chemistry.

Grandpa Hoovy - 2014-06-21

About 3/4 of creepypastas have been mythbusted.

Grandpa Hoovy - 2014-07-24

@Forslimjims It's a goddamn joke.

BaaconHaawk - 2014-12-28

Omg i finally get it

flooperino - 2015-01-04

Well isn't that ironic
ba-dum tss

BaaconHaawk - 2015-05-17

@***** ..

Charles Cole - 2020-10-07

@That one friend who invites you to play a new game and then doesn't let you learn how to play 5/4 creepypastas are gai

TheSkateWarrior96 - 2012-05-15

this channel is freaking awesome! i learned so many things! thanks for sharing it NurdRage!

mikeandtiff - 2011-10-25

Another awesome and educating video! Again, thanks for sharing with us all

Johnpao215 - 2012-06-26

The reaction is actually a redox reaction! :)

naupaka123 - 2011-10-25

Perfect for this Halloween mood I'm in. Thanks :)

John L Bales - 2017-07-27

You demonstrate such fascinating material! Thank you from a novice.

Krankie V - 2011-10-24

that's an awesome looking experiment :D Love your videos

Copper Kettle - 2016-05-06

Thank you for a nice explanation. H2O2 pushes iron further in its oxydation. Nice.

Meloscav - 2011-12-12

YOU are the reason i now LOVE my chemistry class

Liberty Lemonz - 2014-11-01

I guess you could say this is pretty metal

liam rappleye - 2014-11-14

budum tssss

hmpeter - 2011-10-25

Very beautiful, thank you! It´s a shame that it is quite impossible to obtain hydrogen peroxide as a private person over here. :-(

bobby0123987456 - 2011-10-25

love these vids wish my teacher would do them at my chemistry class

moebrowne - 2011-10-24

Fantastic affect! Keep it up.

Casagrande Tiago - 2013-03-30

I can't stop asking myself where did NurdRage learned all that!!!! Thanks for all your videos!

Sean Poyser - 2011-10-25

I remember when my chemistry kit had Na4Fe(CN)6 in it. Those were the days :), I was 10 and in accelerated science.

hopperscot - 2011-10-31

well done good demos that excite intrust in chemistry

glashoppah - 2011-10-29

@NurdRage It is indeed. I grasp at your awesome videos as one of the last handholds against the encroaching darkness.

Psychentist - 2013-04-07

I can see some awesome artistic implications for this.

enialis02 - 2011-10-26

I love these videos!

zbret - 2011-10-25

Once again NurdRage nailed it :)

ManganistanDraselny - 2011-10-25

Yeaah! I have a birthday dota, and this is awesome gift! Thank you very much Dr. N. Butyl Lithium! You are the best!

Phacias - 2011-10-24

@NurdRage Please do! It's going to be awesome! I love syntheses :)

Frosttty - 2011-10-25

@NurdRage Drivel? This one was very cool! Anything that brings a smile upon my face is certainly worthy of my time.

John Savage - 2011-10-24

Y'now, come to think of it, I was thinking of this EXACT SAME reaction today! Including using iron metal rather than a solution.

AmateurEngineer - 2011-10-25

wow thats cool! I'll go and try that when I get my hands on potassium thiocyanate :D

user42 - 2011-10-25

Yet another great video nurdrage. I like the fact that you explain all the reactions... Not like I fully understand or anything.lol

IronhideDraco - 2013-11-04

This is the most metal video title I've seen yet.

Christian Elderfield - 2015-06-22

You have a kidnappers voice, and a talent for making things bleed

Wayne Yu - 2012-04-23

Wonderful experiments I did this on my school's open day and impressed a lot of guests!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exarian - 2011-10-24

looks like I found an awesome Halloween decoration.

1d0nTwAnTaUsErNaMe - 2011-10-25

Your one minute videos have taught me more about chemistry and science than an entire semester in those respective classes.

Tim tomson - 2013-11-25

you got a deep ass voice

nick Bogdanov - 2011-11-06

@nurdrage haha ur da man. Next time u do a video, do a super long process, those are always great to work with.

Frankie - 2011-10-25

how fast does the reaction go? Did you fast forward when the iron starts bleeding?

82214abcdefg - 2011-10-25

hey Nurd Rage, are you back making videos for good now? Really love them and watch everyone when they come out. Hope So. ;~)

shortymiget52 - 2011-12-31

its three am and im going to stay up all night watching your videos... thank you for giving me a good reason! my dad walks in... WHY ARE YOU AWAKE?? IM LEARNING AHHHHHHHHHHH

Akumu Chi - 2015-06-16

Do you need the substances in pure or can you use those that have been distilled?

aznfooly - 2011-10-25

I learned Chemical equations This week !! Now i can actually get a sense of whats going in the video:D

ze nguyen - 2012-03-29

Hey,can you send me a write up of this please? id like to do this demonstration for my science club :D

fbpoulsen - 2011-10-26

Amazing reaction, i believe magicians use this in their trick where they cut themselves and fake blood apear.

MrUnrealmodz - 2012-01-16

i wish i had you as my chemistry teacher

Star light - 2014-07-25

That's AWESOME!!!

Andrew Hampshire - 2011-10-24

"Aaaaooooooowwwwwwwww........ you didn't tell me you were gonna kill it!! Waaaaahh!!!" - Linus, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. Linus sums it up pretty good.

Marios Gregoriou - 2011-10-25

yay for Halloween project... chemistry everywhere!

Gunbardo - 2012-04-29

i remember doing this in my chemistry experiments during my secondary school days and i always got chased out of the lab by the lecturer for doing so...lol~ good times then...

NurdRage - 2011-10-24

@endimion17 i'm going to do a string of hardcore high level science videos soon. Possibly make some potassium, organic chemistry, and similar. Hopefully then we'll have something interesting to talk about :)

worldtochange9 - 2011-10-24

I'm gonna show my 8th Grade Physical Science teacher your videos. I think that she was probably surprised because most kids ask if you can make Dry Ice into a liquid, I asked what state of matter does Sodium Acetate possess at room temperature. Most kids would have asked me, "what the heck is sodium ace-bla-bla?" You are epic; science is epic.

Johnfreemanwepon - 2011-12-30

*takes out a stone that has iron ore in it* HAH! now I can get blood from a stone!