Horror Escape Room

Mystery Substances

Horror

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Escape room

Introduction

The ghost of an ill-fated chemist is trapped in this house, doomed to wander it until it regains all its memories. To help it find them, you must first solve all the challenges left behind by the chemist's evil colleague. Doing so will help you collect items needed to gather the lost memories. Explore the house and try not to gettrapped yourself…

Explore the house

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At the end of the dimmly lit hallway you see a small table. As you approach, you notice several objects strewn across its surface as well as the letters A, B, C, D, & E scratched into it.

You decide to analyze the objects and notice there appear to be three solid objects and two sealed tubes. As you interact with the objects, you hear a faint click and the wall behind the table begins to open, revealing a secret laboratory. You collect the five mystery objects and take them with you into the lab.

In the lab, you notice various supplies including a sink with stagnant water, a pile of dusty papers, some dull knives, and various empty flasks. Where do you go first?

Groups of the Periodic Table of the Elements

Common Properties of Groups

Reactivity with Other Groups

Other Properties

Odors

Luster (Shininess)

Phase at Room Temperature

Reactivity with Water

Group 18

Group 17

Group 16

Group 15

Group 14

Groups 3-12

01

Based on your findings, which group is sample A most likely from?

Group 1

Group 2

Group 13

Group 18

Group 17

Group 16

Group 15

Group 14

Groups 3-12

02

Based on your findings, which group is sample B most likely from?

Group 1

Group 2

Group 13

Group 18

Group 17

Group 16

Group 15

Group 14

Groups 3-12

03

Based on your findings, which group is sample C most likely from?

Group 1

Group 2

Group 13

Group 18

Group 17

Group 16

Group 15

Group 14

Groups 3-12

04

Based on your findings, which group is sample D most likely from?

Group 1

Group 2

Group 13

Group 18

Group 17

Group 16

Group 15

Group 14

Groups 3-12

05

Based on your findings, which group is sample E most likely from?

Group 1

Group 2

Group 13

This is not correct...

Find the key to continue

Continue exploring the house

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01

Which of the following is a PHYSICAL property?

Flammability

Malleability

Decomposition

Toxicity

02

Which of the following is a CHEMICAL property?

Color

Toxicity

Odor

Conductivity

03

You mix two substances together and the mixture immediately begins to heat up. What kind of reaction is taking place?

Chemical

Physical

04

A ghost drifts over a puddle of water. The passage of the ghastly spectre freezes the water solid. What kind of change happened to the water?

Supernatural

Chemical

Physical

Irreversible

05

A witch casts a spell to light a pile of wood on fire. The fire causes the potion in her cauldron to boil. What kind of change is taking place in the wood?

Physical

Chemical

Magical

Reversible

You found a secret message

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Remember these notes and play them on the piano in the correct order

01

02

...Keep playing

03

...One more

Start over...

You found a new item for your inventory

Continue exploring the house

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♪♬ø

Use the flashlight to search for the parts of the code and then enter them in the correct order into the typewriter

224

Your curiosity costs you dearly...

Enter the secret code

Code

Freezing

01

Which of the following is not an example of a physical change?

Baking

Evaporating

Burning

Which of the following is not an example of a chemical change?

Freezing

02

Rusting

Which of the following is not evidence of a physical change?

03

Oxidation Chnage

PhaseChange

ShapeChange

Unexpected Phase Change

Unexpected Change in Odor

04

Which of the following is most likely not evidence of a chemical change?

Unexpected Change in Color

A briefcase has appeared...

It's locked...look in the inventory for something to open it

Visit the garage to find out more about each of the five samples

Congratulations

You have recovered all the memories of the ghost! Now it can finally rest and you can escape from the house!

A bit shaken from your experiences, you opt for a shortcut through the woods to get home as fast as you can...

It's the spirit of the chemist's evil colleague! You remember something you heard once about salt warding off evil spirits... Quick, throw something solid at him!

It's time to turn that solid to salt! What next?

Go Home

The vial of gas shatters on the chunk of sodium. A burst of heat and light tell you the reaction was a success! The apparition dissolves before your eyes and all that is left is a small pile of salt. You cautiously make your way through the woods, heading for the safety of your own home.

Oh, no. You failed...

THANKS FOR PLAYING

REAL

Now the nightmare begins...

...time to get ready for school.

You are awoken from your dream by your alarm clock...

Are you sure you want to exit?

You will lose all progress made so far...

Exit

Back

Oh, no. You failed...

Odors

Some elements have very distinct odors. Sulfur, for example, has a very distinct rotten-egg smell. If you've ever been to Yellowstone you know the smell.

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Reactivity with Water

Elements can react with other elements and substances in various ways, sometimes dangerously. Surprisingly, water itself can react violently with some elements as outlined in the table below.

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Luster

Luster is a measurement of how shiny a material is. In their pure state, there are many elements that are metallic and quite shiny, while there are also many that have little to no luster at all.

The boron group, also called Group 13, includes boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium. These elements all have three electrons in their outer shell, which affects how they bond and react with other elements. Boron is a metalloid, meaning it has properties of both metals and non-metals, while the others are metals. Gallium is especially interesting because it melts at just under 30°C (86°F), so it can melt in your hand! Gallium is used in electronics, like LEDs and solar panels, and even in medical imaging to help doctors see inside the body. It’s valuable in high-tech devices because of its ability to conduct electricity and form useful compounds. Sample C was the element gallium.

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Like sample B, sample E has a small valve. You open it to release some of the gas it contains into the water. Nothing happens. You also note that the gas is both colorless and odorless.

On its surface, sample D is very corroded. As you handle it, you notice it is very soft and can be cut by your fingernail. You scrape off a small piece and notice the new surface is shiny and metallic. The small piece falls into the water and begins to fizz before exploding in flame.

You struggle to break off a piece of sample C, but surprisingly, the shiny metal object begins to melt the more you handle it. A small droplet falls into the water, but nothing happens other than the droplet solidifying almost instantly into a metal bead.

You carefully open a valve at the end of the cylinder containing sample B, releasing some of the gas into the water. Nothing seems to happen, but you do smell something similar to a swimming pool and notice that the gas is yellowish in color.

You break off a small piece of sample A and throw it into the water. It immediately begins to bubble and fizz. A gas begins to rise from the reaction.

Click objects once to make text appear; click again to make it disappear.

A sink filled with stagnant water lies before you. You can almost taste the stench of the foul liquid. What do you do?

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Phase at Room Temperature

Room temperature is right around 20ºC (68ºF). At this temperature, every element that we know of exists as either a solid, liquid, or gas. Study the table to look for patterns in the groups.

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• Nothing happens when mixed with A.
• When A is mixed with B there is a mild explosive reaction, producing light and heat. A new substance is formed. Ignoring what your science teacher taught you about lab safety, you decide to try the new substance. It is quite bitter and salty, much like you after a bad round of Fortnite.
• Nothing happens when mixed with C.
• Nothing happens when mixed with D.
• Nothing happens when mixed with E.

• Nothing happens when mixed with A.

• When C is mixed with B a mild reaction begins that produces some heat. After the reaction, you notice a solid white substance has been formed. It looks a little sus so you decide not to try it.
• Nothing happens when mixed with C.
• Nothing happens when mixed with D.
• Nothing happens when mixed with E.

• Nothing happens when mixed with A.
• When D is mixed with B a reaction similar to that of B & A happens, but it is much more violent and dramatic. A white crystalline substance is left behind. Again, you decide to try it and luckily don't die. It's less bitter than A mixed with B, but still salty. It tastes very familiar...
• Nothing happens when mixed with C.
• Nothing happens when mixed with D.
• Nothing happens when mixed with E.

• When B is mixed with A there is a mild explosive reaction, producing light and heat. A new substance is formed. Ignoring what your science teacher taught you about lab safety, you decide to try the new substance. It is quite bitter and salty, much like you after a bad round of Fortnite.
• Nothing happens when mixed with B.
• When B is mixed with C a mild reaction begins that produces some heat. After the reaction, you notice a solid white substance has been formed. It looks a little sus so you decide not to try it.
• When B is mixed with D a reaction similar to that of B & A happens, but it is much more violent and dramatic. A white crystalline substance is left behind. Again, you decide to try it and luckily don't die. It's less bitter than A mixed with B, but still salty. It tastes very familiar...
• Nothing happens when mixed with E.

Click objects once to make text appear; click again to make it disappear.

In the flasks, you carefully combine the samples in different ways and observe the following:

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Common Properties

Many elements share similar properties with other elements, especially those in their same group. Below are some common properties for the different groups.

Reactivity with Other Groups

Many elements react with other elements to form compounds. The table below summarizes some of these reactions.

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Alkaline earth metals, including magnesium, calcium, and barium, are essential to life and many important industrial processes. Calcium is crucial for strong bones and teeth, helping to build and maintain the skeleton that supports our bodies. Magnesium is vital for muscle and nerve function, energy production, and even DNA repair. Other alkaline earth metals, like barium, play a key role in medical imaging by making parts of the body visible in X-rays. Additionally, these metals are used in construction, fireworks, and electronics, making them valuable in both biological and industrial applications. Sample A was an alkaline earth metal (group 2).

Sample D is also dull looking and corroded. It cuts much easier than A, but like A has a shiny, metallic surface when you do so. As you handle it, you wipe the sweat from your brow. The sample reacts with the sweat on your hand and your skin begins to tingle and burn.

Sample C is a shiny metal. It is easily cut, and even seems putty-like as you play with it. However, after a bit of play the metal begins to melt in your hands.

Sample A is dull looking and corroded. It is somewhat difficult to cut and breaks and crumbles some as you try to do so. You are able to cut it some and notice a shiny, metallic surface where you have nicked it with the knife.

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The knives are noticeably dull and chipped, but you manage to use them anyway to poke at your samples. Samples B and E are clearly gases sealed in tubes, so you ignore them for now. What do you do?

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Other Properties

There are many other properties, some of which are common and others quite unique, that belong to various elements. The table below outlines just a few.

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Groups & Group Names

Elements found in the Periodic Table are organizaed in various ways, one of which lumps them together by similar properties. These categorizations are called "groups" and most are vertical columns. Below are the groups and their group names.

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Salts come in many forms and have many uses. Very early on, humans discovered their usefulness in preserving things such as food and even the dead! Ancient Egyptians used salts and other compounds in preparing and preserving mummies. Many salts are the product of reactions between the group 17 halogens (halogen comes from the Ancient Greek word for "salt producer") and metals, especially those found in groups 1 (alkali metals) and 2 (alkaline earth metals). One of the most common salts on Earth is sodium chloride (NaCl), formed by combining sodium ions with chlorine ions. Sample D could very well be sodium and B chlorine.

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DEAD

Hopefully you were able to piece the clues together and realize that sample E was a noble gas. Not enough information was provided to say specifically which gas it was, but its lack of reactivity as well as lack of color and odor should have been giveaways. The video above has more details about these elements.

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