In message <[email protected]>, dated Fri, 19 Feb 2010, "James, Chris" <[email protected]> writes:
>That was common practise in my day. It was our chemistry master who >went one better while producing hydrogen in a large semi john. He lit >the end of tube before allowing all the air to purge. > >Big flash and explosion, glass and acid everywhere, but amazingly in a >class of 30 kids there were no injuries. October 1949, School Open Day (in the evening). I and two other 11-yo (Grade 6, I suppose, in American; first year in Grammar School) were demonstrating Junior School chemistry with the aid of a Stout Bottle. We had enough chutzpah to ask 'Guinness or Mackeson', but it was a matter of wall-thickness, not original content. Fill with 2 volumes of locally-produced hydrogen (Zn+HCl), and one volume of locally-produced oxygen (KMnO4, although we had used the more disquieting KClO3+KMnO4 mix earlier), wrap in several layers of cotton swab, place in the locker under the bench with the door at minimal opening. Blow the whistle, announce 'There will be an explosion' and stuff a lighted wax taper through the door opening. Retrieve bottle and display mist of water vapour in it, to general acclaim. Kids miss out on SO much these measly days of 'health and safety'. Latest daft 'h&s' thing in Britain - kids banned from using swimming goggles on the grounds that they need to learn to cope with wet faces. -- OOO - Own Opinions Only. Try www.jmwa.demon.co.uk and www.isce.org.uk John Woodgate, J M Woodgate and Associates, Rayleigh, Essex UK I should be disillusioned, but it's not worth the effort. - This message is from the IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society emc-pstc discussion list. To post a message to the list, send your e-mail to <[email protected]> All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc Graphics (in well-used formats), large files, etc. can be posted to that URL. Website: http://www.ieee-pses.org/ Instructions: http://listserv.ieee.org/request/user-guide.html List rules: http://www.ieee-pses.org/listrules.html For help, send mail to the list administrators: Scott Douglas <[email protected]> Mike Cantwell <[email protected]> For policy questions, send mail to: Jim Bacher: <[email protected]> David Heald: <[email protected]>
