Metals in Medicine

How Do We Get Energy From Oxygen?

In our bodies, oxygen undergoes a reaction called a REDUCTION reaction, which gives out energy.

In the TRAFFIC LIGHT experiment, oxygen is REDUCED and a dye called indigo carmine is OXIDISED when it reacts with oxygen. When indigo carmine is oxidised, it changes colour.

As you shake a solution, air dissolves in it. As the flask is shaken, oxygen in the air dissolves in the solution and oxidises the indigo carmine from amber to red and then to green.

This is a reversible reaction: The solution also contains glucose which acts as a reducing agent, reducing the oxidised indigo carmine (GREEN) back to the reduced form (AMBER). This occurs as you let the solution stand.

Indigo carmine is oxidised by oxygen and reduced by glucose

"SHAKE" indigo carmine is oxidised by oxygen. 'STAND' oxidised indigo carmine is reduced by glucose

Next - Iron is Used to Make Steel

Previous - Iron Makes Our blood red

Back to the Topics List


Metals Are Essential for Life - Lithium treats mental illness - Carbonate - Why Are Fizzy Drinks Bad for our Teeth? - Iron compounds are essential to life - Iron Makes Our blood red - How Do We Get Energy From Oxygen? - Iron is Used to Make Steel - Platinum is Used in Treating Cancer - Cis and Trans? - Titanium is used to make hip replacements - Barium is used to see inside our bodies - Lead: a toxic metal that protects us from x-rays

Produced by Chemical Connection Webmaster
School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 3JJ
Tel : +44 (0)131 651 3310 , Fax : +44 (0)131 650 6453
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all material is copyright © The University of Edinburgh