Abstract
Under the appropriate conditions, oscillatory chemical reactions have the capacity to generate chemical waves and spatial patterns. Among these structures, Turing patterns are a distinct class that, to date, has not been commonly demonstrated in a classroom environment. We present here a novel, practical procedure for the demonstration of Turing patterns in a chemical reaction-diffusion batch system, which has the potential for diverse applications in a variety of settings, while allowing for a degree of variability. Altering the experimental conditions can produce varying proportions of spotted and striped patterns that are stable for long periods of time, allowing them to be viewed for entire lecture periods. This remarkable demonstration can be a valuable pedagogical tool for the introduction of a variety of chemical concepts, including reaction-diffusion kinetics, nonequilibrium thermodynamics, and autocatalysis.