Chemistry

Hand
Warmer
By Natalie Mansergh,
Austin Marshall, Matt
Iacovelli, and Bronte
Hoefer

Product Timeline
Test different salts, observe reaction - endothermic or
exothermic? To what degree? What is the temperature
change?
Note ingredients in other conventional hand warmers,
speculate the purpose of each ingredient and test.
Compose hand warmer concept - include ingredients with
extraneous purposes other than that of the reactants.
Create models, test, fiddle with ingredient ratios until ideal is
reached.
Test final product. Record radiant heat, time which it lasts.

Hand warmer design

warmer and pricing

Materi
al:

Amou
nt/uni
t:

Cost/
unit:

Cost/1
00
unit:

Water

10g

$0

$0

Calciu
m
Chlori
de

8g

$0.05

$5

Vermi
culite

4g

$0.01

$1

Iron
powd
er

5g

$0.13

$13

Charc
oal

5g

$0.36

$36

Plasti

3/bag

$0.03

$3

The chemistry of our hand

warmer
Chemical formula for the dissolution of calcium chloride in water:
CaCl2 (s) + H2O(l)--> Ca(+2) (aq) + 2Cl(-) + H2O(l)
The reaction between water and calcium chloride is exothermic. This
means:
- The reaction releases heat, which we can contain in our hand
warmer
- It also needs insulation to keep the heat contained, and a conductor
to keep the heat moving through the hand warmer to the persons
hand

The chemistry of our hand

warmer
Activated charcoal: is thermally conductive, spreading heat throughout
the product.
Vermiculite: helps insulate the hand warmer by containing some of the
heat because of the air pockets located in the vermiculite
Iron powder: conducts the heat to keep the hand warmer warm for a
long period of time
When the salt bonds break in the reaction, energy in the form of heat is
released as a product.

Final Product

Safe Handling
Slightly toxic by consumption
Keep away from fire for risk of combustion
If bag pops, dispose of hand warmer
To prevent these risks from happening, keep away from smaller
children

The benefits of our hand

warmer
- Use of mostly natural substances
- It lasts 15-20 minutes with a 24 degree temperature change
- It is portable and has been designed to fit the average hand size
- Sold for $2 (includes bag and refill), make $1.08 profit
- Refills sold for $1, each making a profit of $0.42
- Outer bag is reusable