Here is another chemistry related video, and this time it is combustion (burning of) Mercury Thiocyanate. This compound was formerly used in pyrotechnics causing an effect known as the "Pharaoh’s serpent" or "Pharaoh’s snake".
It is a stable solid at room temperature that has the appearance of white powder with chunks; it can also be grey in color, depending on purity. Mercury compounds are extremely toxic and protective equipment should be used whenever working with Mercury Thiocyanate.
When the compound is in the presence of a strong enough heat source, a rapid exothermic reaction is started which produces a large mass of coiling serpent-like solid. An inconspicuous flame which is often blue but can also occur in yellow / orange accompanies the combustion. The resulting solid can range from dark graphite grey to light tan in color with the inside generally much darker than the outside.
Watch and be amazed by science!
via: YouTube
That was freaking amazing!!! It looks like some kind of root.
ReplyDeleteThats incredible
ReplyDeleteall these crazy chemicals
ReplyDeleteCool!
ReplyDeleteWoW. Pretty crazy looking
ReplyDeleteI fucking love science! This was amazing.
ReplyDeletei use cubase btw
ReplyDeleteYou should see my snakes ;)
ReplyDeleteWow that's crazy. I wonder how hard it is to make.
ReplyDeletenot gonna lie that was really cool
ReplyDeleteOmg I remember doing this in school. We thought that we were going to blow up the class!
ReplyDeleteomg that looks amazing, I would drop a friends lighter in there to freak them out haha
ReplyDeleteIt was like Kraken or Medusa was coming up out of the sand!
ReplyDeleteExplosion! Wonderful!
ReplyDeletethis must be what those fireworks are based off.
ReplyDeleteThose small black pellets you apply fire to, then it begins to form a long black foam.