Demonstration of Direct Observation of Transition State Through Blue Bottle Experiment, An Undergraduate Study in Chemical Kinetics Education

A new visual procedure for the characterization of transition states / intermediate state for chemical reactions is proposed and tested through the blue bottle experiment. The transition state of a chemical reaction is a particular configuration along the reaction coordinate. It is defined as the state corresponding to the highest energy along this reaction coordinate. Blue Bottle Experiment can now be used for learning of transition state / intermediate state through color change. An alkaline solution of methylene green and mannose when react in presence of atmospheric oxygen blue color of dye was first change into purple then colorless. The color transition from blue (oxidized dye) to purple (transition state) then colorless can be effectively used in demonstration of intermediate state of a chemical reaction visually to undergraduate students.