34 replies to this topic

[Simbi Laveau]

O

Timonthy, on 19 December 2012 - 01:53 PM, said:

That's awesome! I want to freak out my female housemates with this...


Really Simbi? Many of us, including myself,  would have seen that South Park episode.

It still doesn't detract from the coolness of the chemical reaction.

It's the toxic version of the experiment,which is outlawed.
Some moron lighting it in a terrarium with living plants,is stupid .
If that's the sort of thing that enthralls you all,well,whatever works for you .
My tastes tend to be a bit more humane,and evolved.
If this were posted in general off topic ,I'd get it,but as science .neh.

And if any of you remembered its just firework snakes ,not one of you mentioned it .

Edited by Simbi Laveau, 19 December 2012 - 05:22 PM.

[pallidin]

Freaky!

[Sakari]

Simbi Laveau, on 19 December 2012 - 05:20 PM, said:

And if any of you remembered its just firework snakes ,not one of you mentioned it .

It was mentioned on the second reply, quoted below

Coffey, on 19 December 2012 - 12:38 AM, said:

Kill it, kill it with... oh wait...


http://chemistry.abo...aohs-snakes.htm


It's really cool, but sure is creepy!

Simbi, I grew up where fireworks are illegal.....Even when I went to where they were, I all ways spent the money and bought mortors.

I have heard of the snakes, but they do not look how the video does. I almost thought it was fake, that is why I posted it. I was not sure, and I new people in the science section would.

I learned something new

Edited by Sakari, 19 December 2012 - 05:34 PM.

[Ryu]

Simbi Laveau, on 19 December 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

Shall I post a video of someone making pudding ,with powder and milk ,as if its some NEW SORT OF MAGIC !?!?!!
LOOK ,IT'S NOT LIQUID ANYMORE,WHY WHY WHY ,IT'S PUDDING !
Sorry ,the op didn't move me to tears .

No need to get all snarky, condescending and nasty Simbi.
Many of us simply never seen a chemical reaction quite like that. Many of us seen those black snake things but the reaction in the video went beyond mere childs play.
That doesn't make us stupid or ignorant.

[judyrad]

Wiki says "Mercury thiocyanate was formerly used in pyrotechnics causing an effect known as the Pharaoh's serpent or Pharaoh's snake. 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.[2]
This property was discovered soon after the first synthesis of mercury thiocyanate by Wöhler in 1821: "winding out from itself at the same time worm-like processes, to many times its former bulk, a very light material the color of graphite...". For some time, a firework product called "Pharaoschlangen" was available to the public in Germany, but was eventually banned when the toxic properties of the product were discovered through the death of several children mistakenly eating the resulting solid.[2]
A similar, though less extreme, effect to the Pharaoh's serpent can be achieved using a firework known as a black snake. These are generally benign products, usually consisting of sodium bicarbonate or a mixture of linseed oil and napthalenes." Facinating