My friend (actually my friend for once) in high school is considering entering some science competition. He's pretty good at extracting things, but would like to extract something appropriate to enter into a science competition for his school.


So I thought I'd ask you guys for some ideas for him. =D

Anyone have anything not too hard to extract, but definitely not easy.
It'd be nice if there were usages for the chemical, and if it made some aesthetically pleasing crystals.

Thanks. =D

When I took organic chemistry lab (30 years ago!) I remember extracting caffeine from tea leaves. I’m not sure where this extraction falls on the easy-hard continuum, but it might be interesting.

salycilic acid? they could even extract from aspirin tablets to check how honest the box is about content. There are a few quirks regarding the acetylation of aspirin that would make it a little more complicated and interesting to a judge.

yes caffine would be a good choice, but still a drug

I'm not sure how they extract/grow menthol crystals, but I know that the produce some really pretty clusters. Thats where I would start.

I like the idea's so far, you guys. =D

Your ideas just gave me another idea. He could extract a substance from something to find out how much of the substance is in the starting herb, this way it could be considered an experiment. xD

Maybe extract some of the sweet compounds from Stevia?

But they already sell stevia extract in the grocery storee. xD

and they already sell caffeine and menthol and salycilic acid...I doubt your friend is gonna be able to extract something that's not already available somewhere Although, if he were, I'm sure it would make for an award winning science project

Capsaicin from peppers?

Why do you think he is? =p

menthols not available in stores, from what I've seen. Just online sites. xD

It would be very dangerous. My forummate on an other forum successfully extracted capsaicine, and dropped the resulting ethyl alcohol solution onto his hand. He said it was very-very painful, and his hand went numb for days.

You have to be very careful.

gloves! gloves! gloves! Come on people...safety procedures!