Brainiac - Thermite And Ice

[CertifiedBad4ss]

If you stick an ice cube under tap water (which is like 10degrees Celsius) it will fracture, imagine what happens to ice when its exposed to 2000 degrees hot thermite, it will explode.

[CertifiedBad4ss]

did you record the sound with a calculator?

[LucaTurilli89]

@CertifiedBad4ss the video is from 2008 and I guess the codecs suck :D.

[cbssayingcbs]

@TimelessFarmer I totally concur.

[HardstyleStormz]

Lets say that ice weighs like 20kg (I'm just judging by the size, could be a lot more or a lot less).

10kg of pressurized hydrogen and oxygen would have exploded beyond belief.

Thus, it has to be water turning into steam rapidly.

[UTubeisSHIT523441]

This shows how this "maniacs" are full of shit.

[2020man996]

Rickysaltacorp are you an idiot or didn't take basic science? It would sublime to a gas. It's a solid when it is FROZEN. However other elements may behave like that.

[cristian1998power]

rchard should remain on top gear

[rikisaltacorp]

i once read that water when its heated really hard it turns into solid

[TheLonelyFatTart]

The definition of a "high explosive" is a solid that violently and quickly turns into a gas. that is what is happening to the ice. the heat of the thermite is strong enough to change the state of matter of the ice on the INSIDE of the block faster than the outside, suddenly creating a BOMB

[HardstyleStormz]

@TheLonelyFatTart No, and im not even gonna bother explaining to you why that is retarded.

[rub3nelmillor]

The explosion of the amount of hydrogen from that piece of ice would have killed them all!

I don't like brainiac at all... they're always saying stupid things. They don't look for science, they just want to impress you.

[aaronbalowski]

I am agreeing that a sublimation of the water expanding ridiculously fast making something like a thermite cloud is more plausible, or even like a plugged gun barrel as the pressure from the steam is enclosed ...reaches a breaking point and explodes while flinging molten metal everywhere.

[GmodGuy757]

I GOT TO PAY WITH THERMITE IN SCIENCE TODAY! WOOHOO, IT WAS AWSOME!

[ToWYoMama]

Ahh this is the only thermite one I remember and I talk about it all the time

[zacharylisle]

who new rust could burn Xd

[Serostern]

No fucking way.

I call bullshit.

[Nanaboshable]

Nice steam explosion!

[dwhiteside327]

it's not that it ignites Hydrogen and Oxygen...it's that it flash heats the ice to steam which causes the ice to disintegrate explosively. (physical reaction, not chemical reaction.)

[itsmanofpopsicle]

I would imagine the explosion is caused by the impurities in the ice, which gather around the middle, heat u8p faster than the ice does, causing a pressure difference and a big boom-boom. It could be the splitting bond theory, but the only way to find ou8t is to directly use thermite on liquid water.

[AVP181]

The poor audio quality makes hims sound like he has a lisp

[Jrodsly]

"This particular block of ice will be sculpted by thermite. It might not be pretty, but it will be science."

Funny. It was actually kind of pretty. In an explode-y kind of way.

[MegaJeremy07]

hell yea thanks thermite

[bestSVMS]

it looks like its more of a steam explosion cuase there was no flash

[DaleSparrow]

freeking hell, I didn't know it could break the molecules appart at only 2500.

[MaTrIx734]

Thanks, Thermite!

[xboxgamerman]

english mithbusteeeeeeeetrrrrrrrrrrrrr­rrrrrrrs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man this is cool 1 because richard hamond presents it an 2 because mithbusters is laim i mean they hid behind glass shealds wuts the need of that ? 5/5

[thehumangoing]

was made before that episode of mythbusters

[themadscientest]

@thehumangoing but there wrong about the sci its most likely thermal shock

[drchen054]

@themadscientest @themadscientest I think I agree with you there. any hydrogen created would instantly burn the moment it is formed, so there is no chance of build up. Mythbusters said it might be thermite dust thrown up by steam exploding. I thought he was right, but this video proves that explosion happens anyway even when the powder is far away from steam. It can't be steam explosion source cause even 10 grams of TNT on top will only take out 25% of the block. It must be thermal shock.

[themadscientest]

@drchen054 yah it is most likely that cuz its dealind with a giant temp difference and it cracks all the way through

[SKUMMASBAGGUS]

its called covering thy ass

[DDTea]

Metals oxidize in contact with water (e.g., Iron rusts), and release H2 simultaneously. With enough heat, the H2 ignites (e.g., Potassium in water). The reaction happens much faster at higher temperatures--look up Gibb's free energy.

This happens if you try to extinguish thermite with water, too. With confinement (like a solid block of ice would provide), a strong explosion is very possible.

I don't see what the mystery is; just oxidation-reduction chemistry.

[elryanoo]

Its sublimation that does it the solid ice turns to steam inside the block of ice and expands.

[dmhaswell]

The reason it explodes is because the heat from the thermite is enough to break the water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. As with most explosives, a solid turning into a gas causes a very rapid increase in volume. Thus, a huge outward force. Add to that, the fact that a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen gas is flammable...

[Venix946]

That made pretty damn good sense

[Venix946]

Agreeing w/ Jamie Hyneman, I can't imagine the thermite breaking down water in such fast rate that such a big explosion would happen. However, have you ever dropped an ice cube in hot water? It cracks. With over 2000 degrees C, it would perhaps crack fast enough to spread the thermite at such magnitude, that the thermite would appear to explode.

[Venix946]

However, these are just theories. Nobody really knows for sure what actually happens.

[deathcorepyro]

@Venix946 i tottaly agraee with the mythbusters dude

[Flaris]

Myth Busters made it more entertaining. But it's still a fun effect to see :).

[SirKil0t]

myth busters is shit.

[xelfrepusla]

@sirKil0t THEN FUCK OFF

[JimmyKudo123]

How about dry ice?

[ROY0666]

how about no

[Jaztastic94]

that's epic

[Radl0activE]

very cool

[steadfast1984]

that's not fact, its scientific speculation, no one really knows why it actually explodes, there are a couple different theory's. one other being, that the super heated steam turns the termite into an aerosol and that's actually whats exploding. who knows till they can get something in there that can take measurements at over 4000 degrees.

[pippin1111]

It doesn't explode. That's why it's legal, It's very stable. the fuse is magnesium, otherwiese they wouldn't be able to light it.

[jakethemistake19]

hamster lol i think i just saw a program in it besides TG and this

[LeHylton]

Mythbusters did this and it was miiiiiiiiiiiiint! but still nice to see it again :D

[jalopinyo]

fuck u the 5445 myth busters owns ur face and ull never be right listening to them

[LeHylton]

alright jalapino pencil dick, this is england, we dontdo tests in huge deserts cos we're an island. a small one too which somehow managed to own america for a good few years. so technically without the british your country wouldnt have the brains to think of such empowering stuff.

[nebonit]

Mythbuster Jamie has doubts about the thoery they propose and after he explained it I agree, Brainic has no brains and does it for the hell of it Mythbuster do it for science

[LeHylton]

thats cos its a kid's programme douchebag.

[nebonit]

Kids programme!?!?!? do you realise the the target audience or are you another dumb POM! all the jokes are targeted towards adults, the chicks and what they wear targeted to lustful ADULTS not a KIDS PROGRAMME!!!

And to back up my previous comment H2 and O2 would burn smoothly not explode under those circumstances...

[LeHylton]

ur no, theres one for kids then theres one for adults. obviously the tits and such are for adults, as most would presume, and the explosions and why not to touch an electric fence is for kids. i did watch it on BBC children times when i was a kid. so that kinda rules your half out.

[mikek3332002]

poor sound on the video makes it sound as though james has a cold

[dragon10390]

its not james, his name is richard hammond, lol

[LucaTurilli89]

The hamster lmao :D.

[MrDrummer95]

I'm with you MarkoTheHunter. Mythbusters are so much better and they proved that Brainiac faked the clip about alkali metals.

[MarkoTheHunter]

Mythbusters are better than brainiac.. Mythbusters are pros.. Brainiac do more things in one episode maybe more fun, but they are wrong.. Mythbusters are always right

[the5445]

mythbusters are retarded, some of thee shows are just so simple, i know the outcome before they even do it, because it's so simple

[tTatmosT]

they also said that you could make a coloured smoke bomb with barium, potassium nitrate and sugar with is impossible as the barium only changes the colour of the flame not the smoke so don't say they're always right retard

[FatherTime89]

@MarkoTheHunter Mythbusters are not always right. They have done revisits which prove their initial conclusions wrong. Also don't forget Jamie's 2 cars at 50 = 1 car at 100 slip.

[TheJonahBomb]

the ice turns to water and then to steam super fast hence the explosion. The hydrogen theory is incorrect since that would be very painful.

[DudeThatAwesome]

i more belive mythbusters.. they are more pro

[beondhuman]

no one realy knows why it happens. they just know what the answers are not.

[justinandrewbrooks]

as an engineering student, my best guess is that the thermite causes the ice to change state extremely quickly... almost like how CO2 sublimes. The thermite causes some of the ice to rapidly turn into steam (gas), thereby rapidly increasing the internal energy of the ice. This sounds awfully like the definition of an explosion, eh?

[beecee176]

they said why it happens in the video...

[beondhuman]

what they said has been proven wrong.

[Squallboogie02]

really? thought it was tested on mythbusters and confirmed.

[beondhuman]

the mythbusters proved that the explosion happens. but the said that the hydrogen theory is impossible.

[desertman123]

how else would it go boom?

[beecee176]

mythbusters are wrongg lol

[nixrate]

richard hammond is wrong in this too..heating water to million degrees won't change the molecular structure. the heating of water in any way to any temp is a physical reaction and not chemical.

[LucaTurilli89]

How do you know? Doesn't it affect the molecules speed or something? Like the atoms?

[nixrate]

atoms are apart of the molecule. the molecule's vibrate more rapidly with heat causing them to break their hydrogen bonding and leave the mixture aka a gas...how do i know. i am doing chemistry at a university level and know from high school whats said in the video is BS.

[PotentialFreedom]

Water can't go beyond boiling point without dispersing into gas.

[maxf130]

@LucaTurilli89 yh it should

increase in temperature should increase brownian motion

[LucaTurilli89]

@maxf130 sorry to which comment are you replaying to the one about affecting the molecules speed?

[maxf130]

@LucaTurilli89 yhs

[Raeuber13]

@LucaTurilli89 it is only the pressure of the steam

[kick52]

@nixrate At 2500c, water breaks down into oxygen and hydrogen. So yes, the temperatures thermite reaches should be enough to break it down.

[TheTutSpace]

@nixrate Yeah, heating to a certain temperature destroys covalent bonds, which changes its molecular structure.

[tnnguye3]

@nixrate

Well, If you heat matters until it's hot enough, I think it'd turn into plasma, right?

[prasankong]

@nixrate hey there it may not at 200 to 500 degrees Celsius, but at 2000 degrees Celsius It might(bond enthalpy) correct me if I m wrong

[frother]

@nixrate

what. at a million degrees water would separate into hydrogen and oxygen.

[peonatre]

@nixrate

heat and electricity are both energy and can have the same effect

[TimelessFarmer]

@nixrate The reality is that nobody's entirely sure -why- thermite and ice is an explosive mixture and there are many conflicting theories. You can decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen (which explodes with ignition) with heat, as you can decompose anything if you give it enough energy to do so. I doubt it is the one, personally, as I think there's not enough energy to do enough of said decomposition for the explosion. But it's still a valid theory.

[electiveelf]

@nixrate actually as hammond explains the heat would break the molecular bonds breaking down into its component atoms hydrogen and oxygen. hydrogen is flammable and will explode causing another reaction making water vapour.

[italiansoccerrulez]

@electiveelf no..... it will just explode, no second reaction. A Combustion reaction doesnt create H2O it creates CO2

[ellfangor8]

@italiansoccerrulez incorrect, 2 hydrogen + oxygen + fire = water

[2010saboor]

@nixrate shut up

[josh0700]

They did this on mythbusters and they have two different theorys for it. the forementioned one and another I can't remember. but pianist is right neither of the theorys can be proven. It's a mystery

[rpenri]

It's almost the same thing that happens when you drop a frozen turkey into a deep fryer (although, not as climactic as thermite and ice). The water is superheated (in this case, ice is instantly turned to vapor as steam) which stirs up the thermite powder and sort of aerosolizes it which creates the necessary condition for an explosion. It's mixes oxygen and the fuel to create a big bang. That's my hypothesis anyway.

[nixrate]

nah thats wrong... a cloud of steam is not suffient to aresol the thermite . hence a bursting charge is essential for an FAE[another nail being the high activation energy causing the rate of reaction throughout the mist to be rather slow.]. the explosion is caused to due to the steam vapor. a cassam may be made in the ice and steam builds almost instantaniously leading to a blast.

[RedPenguin2]

Yes, this theory is 100% what Jamie said towards the end of the episode. Anyway, the other theory was that the thermite turns in to an aerosole about and that is what causes the explosion. It seems trickier to understand than the first theory.

[13pianist13]

that theory hasn't been proven.... nor any other one

[jmm078]

So the heat from the thermite splits the water molecules, and then recombines them to form water and an impressive explosion?

I'm feeling a 1st law of thermodynamics fail here.

[qenisharrit]

Watterbomb...

[misterflip20]

thermite napalm

[TimpBizkit]

It actually turns the water into hydrogen and oxygen? I thought that didn't happen until about 10,000 and I thought it was steam pressure, or even just expansion pressure from the outside of the ice being hotter than the inside (like when you put an ice cube in a drink and it often cracks)

[100000000years]

they should drop the ice into the thermite.

[Geerafferman]

Heat breaking water molecules apart b/c of oxygen and hydrogen gas which then ignites and turning back into water? Since when the hell do explosions of honeycomb-like hydrogen bonds ever explode and THEN turn back into water. Bullshit, I'll stick with mythbusters.

[SelkitFox]

Uh, Geere, any hydrocarbon combustion, nevermind just hydrogen burning, produces water. Yes, it's a two way street. However, in this case, they probably didn't account for what happens when you flash-boil ice; Steam occupies just over 1,700 times the volume a similar weight of ice does; Toss that into little pores in the block burned through by thermite, and you have a nice recipe for blam (Steam pressure) and sparks (Thermite getting merrily scattered). Brainiac: Science fail.

[cksugdad]

Seriously true. They expect us to belive that champagne will explode if you put it in a microwave like that? If you fill it with gasoline like they probably did, sure. They fake like 90% of the things they do, and tell you not to do it at home because they dont want you to know their secret. FAIL

[TimpBizkit]

Well of course champagne will explode in a microwave. The champagne will eventually boil, adding yet more pressure to the already pressurised champagne until it bursts through the glass.

[cksugdad]

I've TRIED this. It DOES NOT work the way it did on the show. It barely eploded

[dead2thewind]

the fact that you tried it means people shouldn't listen to you I'm sensing a darwin award contender

[SoldierFrontJunky]

i think he ment, they split up and than reform into a molecule of water

[JohnnyTod]

Yeah, you wouldn't be able to split water molecules with heat, it just wouldn't work. If you did some how though, the explosion would happen. My chemistry teacher did an experiment at the begining of the year where he takes a balloon full of oxygen and hydrogen gas, and pokes it with a match. The balloon explodes, with a small shockwave, and it creates a bit of water. That not whats happening here though. The ice is proboboly just instantly boiled, creating a rapid expansion, ie, explosion.

[nar98]

cool

[tybo09]

The heat splits the water molecules?

This doesn't sound right for some reason.

I thought it was just the thermal shock of something that's 2000+ degrees hitting something that's below 32 degrees that caused the ice to violently shatter.

The fact that there are chunks of ice littering the ground seems to support this.

[TimpBizkit]

Well actually it's more like 4500 degrees if you're talking fahrenheit, but you're right in that it's probably a combination of thermal shock and steam pressure

[SomeOne1199]

cool...haha

[gskaloyan]

you can can get aluminum powder in an etch-a-sketch I think.

[IgorUSAF]

or use a blender and some aluminum foil.

[hyunchoi98]

did you do that?

[WaffleManForever]

can u use iron filings and then ground ure aluminum foil? hmmmm...

i smell an experiment!

[MarKarpov]

Круто

[soapierocks]

ahhhhhh! beautiful!!!

i love it!

samewe cant watch experimetns like this at school, on the field and that - would be well good.

but thats why brainiac was created!

wooooo!

[DGTinderbox4lif3]

Who knew learning could be so fun.

[Shadow6098]

what is the song in the background? some one tell me it is wicked!

[CH3LZx000]

were can i get sum thermite lol?

[elmeister4evayoknow]

Fe2O3 + Al (metal rust + aluminium) in dust and mixed

[Kosinuss]

not just any metal rust... IRON rust

[elmeister4evayoknow]

you didn't see the chemical formula, did you ¬¬?

[RajmundShow]

And where can i get aluminium dust?

[elmeister4evayoknow]

well, with any iron file or with a metal grinder... start to file or grind a piece of aluminium and then you have the dust =)

[RajmundShow]

okey but I still have to steal the aluminium :D

[Glumglufs]

It's commonly used in bicycles

[tk10]

Someone just can't.

[tHeNeUtRaLnOtHiNg]

wow...i love thermite...

[Thoran666]

Thermite rocks!

would be fun to do some tests with that stuff myself.