...or download the episode on Amazon Instant Video.
Mythbusters - Peeing on the Third Rail
In this episode of the Mythbusters, they test to see whether a person could really electrocute themselves by dropping an appliance (such as a hairdryer) in the bathtub. This is a good segment to show during this unit because you can incorporate concepts from ioinc bonding (e.g. dissociation of ions) to explain why electricity travels through tapwater. They do a few additional tests at the end that show an increase on conductivity when epson salt (magnesium sulfate) is added to the tub, and a decrease in conductivity when bubble bath is added.
Episode: Season 2, episode 6 " Barrel of Bricks"
Essential Concepts: Ions, salts, ionic bonding, electricity, conduction, dissociation.
Answer key: Included in the chemistry instructor resources subscription. Click here for details.
