The chemical redox reaction between potassium permanganate and glycerol is often used to demonstrate the powerful oxidizing property of potassium permanganate, especially in the presence of organic compounds such as glycerol. The exothermic (heat producing) reaction between potassium permanganate (KMnO), a strong oxidizing agent, and glycerol  (CH(OH)), a readily oxidised organic substance, is an example of an experiment sometimes referred to as a "chemical volcano".