Valentine's Day Chemistry

Valentine Day Periodic Table

Show how much you love chemistry by working chemistry problems using a Valentine Day periodic table. This festive table features different colored heart for element groups, with all the facts and figures you need for the elements. A newer version of this table is also available, with data for all 118 chemical elements and vibrant colors.

Crystal Heart Decoration

This crystal heart only takes a couple of hours to grow and makes a pretty Valentine's Day decoration. While borax crystals are the quickest to grow into a heart, you can also use sugar, salt, Epsom salt, or even copper sulfate (if you want a blue heart).

Vanishing Valentine Chem Demo

You can perform the Vanishing Valentine chemistry demonstration for Valentine's Day or to illustrate the principles of an oxidation-reduction reaction. The demo involves a color change of a solution from blue to clear to pink and back to clear.

Make Colored Flowers for Valentine's Day

It's easy to make your own colored flowers for Valentine's Day, especially carnations and daisies, but there are a couple of tricks that help ensure great results. You can even make the flower glow in the dark.

Of course, you don't want to give wilted flowers to your Valentine, no matter how prettily they are colored. Use chemistry to make your own fresh flower preservative. When the flowers die, view the pigments using paper chromatography.

• Make a Rainbow Rose (or other flowers)
• Color Your Own Valentine Flowers
• How To Make Flowers Glow in the Dark
• Make Your Own Cut Flower Food
• Paper Chromatography With Valentine's Day Flowers

Science Dating Ideas

Here's a look at some types of dates that might be perfect if your sweetie is a scientist or is interested in science. Dinner and movie are still a good plan, especially with the right movie, but here are some additional dating ideas.

• Ideas for Science Dates
• Chemistry Pick-Up Lines

Create a Signature Perfume Scent

Perfume is a romantic Valentine's Day gift. If you apply your command of chemistry, you can make a signature scent, which is a personal and meaningful gift.

• Design Your Own Perfume
• Make a Solid Perfume

Hot and Cold Pink Valentine Demo

Watch a pink solution turn colorless as it is heated and return to pink as it cools. This Valentine's Day demonstration is especially dramatic when performed in a large test tube. Immerse the tube in a burner flame to initiate the color change and remove it to regain the pink color.

Try the hot and cold Valentine demo.

Chemistry of Love

Sweaty palms and a pounding heart don't just happen! It takes complex biochemistry to give you the symptoms of being in love. And lust. And security. Chemistry may even play a role in falling-out-of-love. Get some of the details here, with links for further study.

Learn about the real chemistry of love.

Mercury and Gallium Beating Heart Experiments

Bring a metal heart to life, using a trick of chemistry. The mercury "heart" rhythmically pulsates as if it was beating.

The mercury beating heart is a classic chemistry demonstration, but mercury is toxic and harder to find than it used to be. Fortunately, you can use gallium for the beating heart demo. The effect is slightly less dramatic, but this version of the project is much safer. Gallium is useful for other projects, too, such as making a spoon you can bend with the power of your mind. Okay, really it's the heat of your hand, but no has to know your secret!

• Try the Mercury Beating Heart Experiment
• Try the Gallium Beating Heart Experiment

How Mood Rings Work

Give your Valentine a mood ring to see how your beloved feels about you. Mood rings have a stone that is supposed to change color to show your emotions. Do they work? If so, do you know how? Here's your chance to find out.

• How Mood Rings Work
• What Mood Ring Colors Mean
• How Long Do Mood Rings Last?

Jewels and Gemstones Chemistry

 Bling is always a popular Valentine gift choice! There is chemistry here, too.

Gemstones make a beautiful Valentine's Day present, especially diamonds. Learn about the chemical and physical properties of gemstones and also about the composition of precious metals used in jewelry.

• Diamond Chemistry
• How Gemstones Get Their Colors
• Chemistry of Colored Gold
• What Exactly Is White Gold?

Grow Your Valentine a Silver Crystal

Are you up for a challenge? A silver crystal dangling from a silver chain is a thing of beauty. It takes some time and skill to grow a large crystal, so if this is a Valentine's Day gift you would like to give, start growing your crystal early.

Valentine Gifts You Can Make Using Chemistry

Your command of chemistry gives you a certain edge in the Valentine's Day gift-making department. Use your skills to make some cool presents, to keep for yourself or give to others.

Make a Valentine gift using chemistry.