tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post5788488087584845434..comments2024-03-29T09:05:29.819-04:00Comments on Chemjobber: Methanol "tornado" experiment goes awryChemjobberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-84691711618243374302014-12-08T20:58:39.795-05:002014-12-08T20:58:39.795-05:00The lower video provides the clue for the upper vi...The lower video provides the clue for the upper video. Pouring the methanol on last led to ignition of the methanol in the 'quart' container. Internal pressure forced the flaming methanol across the counter-top (see beginning of upper parent video) which then ignited the fumes from the open gallon container at the left of the counter. That container then toppled from the counter as it melted, giving the material that spread across the floor to the kids. Too dangerous for amateur scientists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-29160311186625917502014-09-05T21:06:10.788-04:002014-09-05T21:06:10.788-04:00Having an open container of methanol close to a fl...Having an open container of methanol close to a flame doesn't look like a good idea. Why did she have so much of it on the bench in the first place? For a demo like that you only need about 50ml.Nick Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-57408564809224803452014-09-05T16:42:20.081-04:002014-09-05T16:42:20.081-04:00Sorry, I'm apparently in Super Earnest Mode to...Sorry, I'm apparently in Super Earnest Mode today. Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-35248289178963247072014-09-05T16:41:57.174-04:002014-09-05T16:41:57.174-04:00I've never really set out to figure out my blo...I've never really set out to figure out my blog comment policy, but I want to enforce minimum standards for interactions between commenters and I found Anon130p to be below those standards. <br /><br />One would sincerely hope and imagine that Professor Harran would be the first to talk about the importance of PPE when dealing with flammables. Chemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-7109552831860967372014-09-05T15:50:33.346-04:002014-09-05T15:50:33.346-04:00How about if i make a snarky comment about Patrick...How about if i make a snarky comment about Patrick Harran and his performing demos for public service?bad wolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-85140638268628674052014-09-05T14:47:33.393-04:002014-09-05T14:47:33.393-04:00I'm surprised you haven't deleted mine. Pe...I'm surprised you haven't deleted mine. Perhaps you might find me entertaining--if you were half drunk.Bring the Moviesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-42017454550326440732014-09-05T13:45:12.609-04:002014-09-05T13:45:12.609-04:00Anon130p:
Congratulations, you're my first d...Anon130p: <br /><br />Congratulations, you're my first deleted comment of 2014! You may think that the magic word that caused your deletion was a slang word for female genitalia, but you'd be wrong. The magic word was "you." <br /><br />Enjoy! Cheers, CJChemjobberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15932113680515602275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-71823145433558295292014-09-05T13:11:40.984-04:002014-09-05T13:11:40.984-04:00You can see the green flame on the floor at ~45 s ...You can see the green flame on the floor at ~45 s into the news video.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-85453961271802275282014-09-05T11:55:13.543-04:002014-09-05T11:55:13.543-04:00If they were using boric acid and methanol, the fl...If they were using boric acid and methanol, the flame should have been green due to trimethyl borate. To me it sounds like they were using Li/Cu like in the youtube video where it is more red/orange. Only way a flash that big could have happened is if methanol was spilled all over the counter-top so that the vapors were nearby. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-46450170439361799842014-09-05T11:15:13.631-04:002014-09-05T11:15:13.631-04:00Thank you for this CJ. Im doing General Chem demos...Thank you for this CJ. Im doing General Chem demos in an adjunct position. I will never do a demo, or a lab, that includes MeOH.NMHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-21894103490434288722014-09-04T19:43:48.037-04:002014-09-04T19:43:48.037-04:00Huh. did not know that you get increased flame he...Huh. did not know that you get increased flame height from spinning it. Going to make this one of my usual demos now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-42684462324502669652014-09-04T14:26:30.221-04:002014-09-04T14:26:30.221-04:00Ahh. Remember pouring ethyl ether down the drain ...Ahh. Remember pouring ethyl ether down the drain trough behind the lab bench with a couple of Bunsen burners going when you were a kid?<br /><br />Wfffffff. :-)<br /><br />Those were the days...oldnukenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964719845369935777.post-17272550662579367182014-09-04T14:13:07.313-04:002014-09-04T14:13:07.313-04:00I'm with you on what could have been done bett...I'm with you on what could have been done better. It was a very bad idea to have a full jug of methanol nearby. The amounts necessary for the demo should have been pre measured into small aliquots and clearly labeled. That way, even if the "experiment" went wrong, the resulting fire would be small. That is just good lab practices.<br /><br />Also, not only were the children too close, but they were below the demo, so if anything spilled, it quickly spilled into children.samhttp://blog.everydayscientist.comnoreply@blogger.com