M&Ms that spontaneously combust, metal that melts itself and elephant toothpaste—these are just some of the magical displays that faculty and students from the Carleton University department of chemistry performed to packed houses on February 23, 2008. Here, Professor Jeffrey Manthorpe demonstrates how surface area can affect the rate of a reaction. Blowing a powder such as lycopodium into a flame, as Manthorpe is doing, causes the substance to burn. However, when a match is held to a handful of the powder, nothing happens.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Magical chemical reactions set audience ‘on fire’
M&Ms that spontaneously combust, metal that melts itself and elephant toothpaste—these are just some of the magical displays that faculty and students from the Carleton University department of chemistry performed to packed houses on February 23, 2008. Here, Professor Jeffrey Manthorpe demonstrates how surface area can affect the rate of a reaction. Blowing a powder such as lycopodium into a flame, as Manthorpe is doing, causes the substance to burn. However, when a match is held to a handful of the powder, nothing happens.
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