3 ms·
A fun thing to make. I made this in the high school chemistry room after school. Filter paper with some iodine crystals, pour some ammonia over and wait for it
by JKCalhoun 1y ago
A fun thing to make. I made this in the high school chemistry room after school. Filter paper with some iodine crystals, pour some ammonia over and wait for it to dry (as I recall). I am not sure where I learned about it. Often my dad, who was a chemist then, would tell me little tricks like this. (He also turn me on to slathering a small amount of potassium permanganate with glycerin.)
Anyway, I was walking with it after I made it (when it was still damp and in the filter paper) and I accidentally dropped the filter paper in the school hallway. I picked up what I could (I suppose I should have gone back and mopped it up).
It was fun, the small explosions, like tap shoes clacking, when it was dry and walked upon. (Too bad it left brown stains on the linoleum.)
I was fortunate to have not had a large quantity dry. It can be pretty dangerous in large amounts I am told.
- vunderba 1y agoI've always heard that the incredibly sensitive volatility of this compound precludes the ability to even amass it in large quantities, because it will essentially fulminate under its own weight.
- cperciva 1y agoI accidentally dropped the filter paper in the school hallway It's wonderful when "accidents" like this happen.
- BoxOfRain 1y agoMy A-level chemistry teacher liked to paint it onto door frames and in the hallways. Apparently one day he'd left some out in his lab in preparation for this prank, then the school had a surprise inspection. He had to teach his class in front of the inspectors while being constantly interrupted by small purple explosions. He also liked to let off expired fire extinguishers at his sixth formers out of his window, and he once attempted to use them to propel a pupil sitting on a wheely office chair. Very memorable teacher!