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Thermite reaction!


Tim_Lou

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just to share with you guys the thermite reaction!

gotta love the online video demostration : P

 

(i strongly suggest that you DO NOT perform the following observation, this is just for something cool)

 

1. simply have rusted iron powder and aluminium powder mixed in a pot. (the mixture is called thermite)

2. place a little piece of magnesium in it as a fuse...

3. light the fuse and run!!!!! away!

4. the reactions start with the bright white flame of the burning magnesium, the heat of the burning magnesium provide activation energy for this thermite reaction... producing molten iron as a result! wot!

 

thats the online video demo!

http://www.webct.com/service/ViewContent?contentID=1249577&communityID=858&categoryID=1249537&sIndex=0

 

well... just found some info about thermite...

in 911, thermite reaction was the one that produced molten iron and caused great damage:

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/thermite.htm

here is the website.

 

"A thermite reaction generates extraordinarily high temperatures (>2500° C) and it provides a credible explanation for the fires, hot spots and molten steel (a byproduct of the thermite reaction) found in the collapsed buildings - they were a result of thermite detonations in the buildings' basements on 9/11."

 

sad....

 

[edit: sry guys.... i typed termite instead of thermite... fixed it anyway]

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"Did they really use this stuff in the 9/11 attacks?"

 

Tormod, i think you misunderstood my meaning... : P

its not the stuff that terrorism used, its the rusted iron and aluminium reacted with each other in the twin towers in 911, the reactions started by the heat of the plane crashin into the building... the reaction produced molten iron! and melted everything.... therefore causing the towers to collapse.

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what i like about thermite reaction is that the chemicals are so easy to get!

imagine you have some rusted iron dust combine with aluminium pieces which you got them from a pack of aluminium foil in a supermarket...you light the mixture and boom!!!!

 

.... but plz DO NOT perform the experience!!!! plz don't!

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Ok, tim, that's it. you have just guaranteed that my boys will never be allowed to read the chemistry thread.

I can hear it already...

"but Mom, tim_lou is ok, really he is. It really wasn't his idea for us to make that nail/tinfoil explosion. we could have read it in a hundred different places in the net that you let us visit besides Hypography...!"

Yep, Chemistry is not a good thing when you have young boys around. Just do me a favor, ok? Please don't post anything that deals with firecracker bombs!

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I am a bit doubtful that thermite was seriously involved in 9/11. That reaction involves powdered aluminium. I can't truly believe there was much rust available ether.

 

Powdered metals in general are deadly. That is because the surface is highly reactive, and a powder has an awful lot of surface. Aluminium/iron oxide works well because the aluminium can nick the oxygen from the iron. Simple air is a good source too. Fine iron filings suspended in air, say due to a fan, or somebody opening a door on a windy day, makes a good explosion. Metal working machinery tends to create metal powders and filings, which just accumulate till somebody gets round to cleaning up. A case where uncleanliness is next to godliness. Leave them lying around and you could be strumming a harp pretty fast!

 

Note that this is a property of surfaces, not necessarily powders. I managed to temporally blind myself by shoving a large current through steel wool. Not exactly an explosion, because it wasn't contained, but a very good flash.

 

I would like to add to the warning of not trying out thermite at home. In general powdered metals are inferior to conventional explosives, but thermite is more dangerous than you might expect. The explosion is small but it does splatter lumps of molten iron good distances. One lump would easily disfigure or blind a person.

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available surfaces is a factor of reaction, temperature is also another factor.

 

considering the extreme high temperature caused by the crash of the plane and the explosion caused the metal to rip into pieces...............and i would say that there were plenty of rusted irons on the plane....

 

once molten iron was produced, the high temperature could possible causes more deadly reactions to occur...

 

also, melting away the steels inside the buildin can cause great structural damage...

 

recall from the video demo... the guy smashed 2 metal objects and preformed a "smaller" thermite reaction. in the case of 911, the reaction must be huge! there must had a lot more chemicals to react...

 

(he, nice to start a discussion in the chemistry group!)

(i dont wanna be unemployed as a Moderator....T_T)

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Tim

 

Rusty iron on a plane??? There is very little iron of any sort on a plane. Aluminium alloys are the thing. Lighter. Certainly it is rigorously checked. Any significant corrosion, and it would not be allowed to leave the ground.

 

There was, no doubt, plenty of steel in the buildings, but these were very high-tech buildings. They would have been inspected regularly as well. Any corrosion would have been treated. I very much doubt there was much rust. Simple heat was more likely the problem. The steel just melted.

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sorry, tormod, my bad english wording confuse you again...

it should be: lets start a new topic about the 911!

 

well, Irish, dont worry too much , the reaction isnt gonna be dangerous unless the metals are in powder form...

 

I wonder how a chemist's house oloks like and what his kids do at home....hehe

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  • 2 months later...

Hey, I'm new to this forum. Actually it was this thread that lead me to it.

 

First off I'll explain my situation. Every year my school has an open house. There are different areas and one of them is chemistry, they always have a "magic" show, last year they were showing nitrogen triiodide. This year my chem teacher is thinking of doing a thermite reaction, he asked the grade 12's and only one person volunteered (it's a private school so there aren't many people) so he's asking the grade 11's to do research on the topic and I think he'll chose the person with the most/best information to do the demonstration.

 

I am in his grade 11 class and I want to do this (I love chemistry). My chem teacher is frustrated with me because i get 90+ on tests but dont hand in work so for him to chose me I really need to impress him. I want to know 1) how much heat energy is produced (in joules)? 2) Exactly what materials/equipment do i need (including what the equipment is made out of) 3) How high do particles fly/ should I have a shield on top as well as in front to protect the ceiling?

 

All your input is greatly appreciated

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