My inner Beavis is dancing.
Especially after seeing this video on “I Fucking Love Science” today:
While I’ve seen reactions sorta like it before, I don’t think they’ve had all quite the fiery spectacle element of this thing that looks like the kraken being released from the ninth circle of hell. My only gripes are that I wish that it lasted longer, I wish the seemingly sentient octupal ash monster were larger, and I spent the whole video begging god, “PLEASE let it come alive and eat everyone,” repeatedly, like it was a holy mantra.
That didn’t happen.
What did happen was that I got a quick science lesson on why these things do what they do. And while you might be bored by my FYI infused articles, I feel like it’s important information we can all take with us after those of us who survive asteroid Apophis are stuck in a post apocalyptic dystopian world blanketed by impact winter clouds. So listen up.
This is two-fold sorcery happening here: a breakdown and an explosion (or in yawn-worthy field terms – “decomposition” and “combustion”) The thing breaking down is ammonium dichromate, while the thing blowing up is mercury (II) thiocyanate. Even though most of this video happens within the confines of fewer pixels than an old school Mario game, you might be able to see there’s orange powder there. (That’s the ammonium dichromate! The thing that’s gonna decompose!) And how’s it gonna do that? By you adding some sexy to this reaction and heating things up. Literally. Add heat and that orange ammonium dichromate breaks down into nitrogen gas, ammonium (III) oxide, and good old fashioned agua. Quick quiz: Of those three products, can you guess which one the gnarly looking volcano walls are made out of? I’ll give you a hint: it’s not the water or the gas.
As for those tentacle things? Mere math, my dear Watson. The formula for the demon’s dancing and spiraling stems is: more heat + mercury (II) thiocyanate (Remember? Second part of the two-part reaction?). That’s all. Hot + special mercury = scary spider legs. Why? ‘cause when that heat hits, it starts breaking on down to something called carbon nitride. That’s when the white solid part expands and goes dark. So the monster breakdances outta Hades cuzza the break-down to carbon nitride. And what are we left with? Just like a real breakdancing Incubus from hell might be kinda sweaty from his workout, the sweaty byproducts we get from the work of this reaction is sulfur dioxide and mercury (II) sulfide.
Boom.
As IFLS says, “this reaction is appropriately nicknamed the ‘Pharoah’s Serpent’ and was sold in stores as fireworks until people realized it’s toxic.” (Ya know, for the same reason we can’t take a hammer to old school thermometers and play with the metal sludge inside for funsies on a rainy afternoon.) Which brings to mind the question you’re all wondering: “How the hell is knowing this gonna help me in the fccking apocalypse, Ashley?” Um…are you kidding? It’s an invaluable magic trick you can break out to distract enemy survivors. While you steal their food. And women. Duh.
That’s all, class.
*Descends C₁₇H₃₅COONa box*