Sparklers longer than 16 cm may become top-heavy. A 16 cm sparkler length is ideal and the handle should be cut off using tin snips or pliers. The sparkler needs to be longer than 10 cm to ensure there is time to retreat to a safe distance. It should be one for indoor use but need not be handheld. The Igniter for the reaction is a domestic sparkler.Iron(III) oxide, Fe 2O 3(s) – see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC055A.Aluminium powder, Al(s), (HIGHLY FLAMMABLE) – see CLEAPSS Hazcard HC001A.The weighed quantities of iron(III) oxide (9 g maximum) and aluminium powder (3 g maximum) may be thoroughly mixed beforehand by repeatedly pouring the mixture to and fro between two pieces of scrap paper (never stir with a metal spatula), and then stored for the demonstration in a suitable container labelled ‘Thermite mixture’. The oxide should be allowed to cool completely before mixing. An hour or so in a warm oven, or heating in an evaporating dish over a Bunsen flame, should suffice. It is important that the iron(III) oxide used in this demonstration is absolutely dry.The thermite reaction can trigger heat or smoke sensors you cannot do the experiment in a laboratory fitted with smoke sensors.The demonstrator should wear a laboratory coat (the experiment can become messy at the end). ![]() In addition to wearing eye protection, students should stand further than 4 m from the reaction.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |