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The Chemistry of Fire and Gunpowder


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Posted

An informative and enjoyable lecture given at the RI in London.

 

Reminiscent of some of the things we did in High School Chemistry

classes in Iowa back in the 50s.

 

I wonder if these kinds of lectures exist anywhere in America today.

 

 

If anyone would like to download the video for future reference,

plug the video url into the box here and click the Download button.

 

Once the download link appears below the image in a few seconds,

right click on it and "Save link target as" to download your copy.

 

Some of the lecture will be rather basic to those who have much

experience but there may still be some things not yet known.

  • Like 1
Posted

Also available on Youtube, as is

Posted

More importantly, can anyone find Col Brian Shaw's lecture in a public place? He was ex military and ex Nottingham University. Most of the reactions that couldn't or shouldn't be shown were demonstrated on a large scale.

 

I used to have a USA lecture he did (UCAL??) that never warranted 320 bit because of the original media, but for the things he demo'd it was fine.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
SeaMonkey, Thanks that was very interesting and so informative. Thanks, Dyl
Posted

Thanks for the link Arthur!

 

Tech Ingredients has just done this video.

Posted

Good quarantine viewing :) tanks!

  • 3 months later...
Posted

The Royal Institution has some great fireworks lectures (like the Chris Bishop lecture linked above. I wish chemistry would have been taught like that when I was a kid. Might've scare the dinosaurs though :blink: :unsure: :D

  • 7 months later...
Posted

An informative and enjoyable lecture given at the RI in London.

 

Reminiscent of some of the things we did in High School Chemistry

classes in Iowa back in the 50s.

 

I wonder if these kinds of lectures exist anywhere in America today.

 

 

If anyone would like to download the video for future reference,

plug the video url into the box here and click the Download button.

 

Once the download link appears below the image in a few seconds,

right click on it and "Save link target as" to download your copy.

 

Some of the lecture will be rather basic to those who have much

experience but there may still be some things not yet known.

 

I believe an awful lot of valuable teaching effort has disappeared due to P.C., among other things. For example, every high school chemistry classroom had a mercury barometer. Yes, I've seen the images of mercury vapor lingering above the pool. Now, how long do you think it would take for that pool to completely evaporate?

 

The evaporation rate of elemental mercury at room temperature (20 C) is approximately 50 μg/cm2/h (range of 40–60 μg/cm2/h)

 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that 0.045 mcg of mercury per pound (0.1 mcg per kg) of body weight per day is the maximum safe dose of mercury. Thus for a 150 pound individual, about 7 micrograms per day is considered safe.

Posted

 

I believe an awful lot of valuable teaching effort has disappeared due to P.C., among other things. For example, every high school chemistry classroom had a mercury barometer. Yes, I've seen the images of mercury vapor lingering above the pool. Now, how long do you think it would take for that pool to completely evaporate?

 

The evaporation rate of elemental mercury at room temperature (20 C) is approximately 50 μg/cm2/h (range of 40–60 μg/cm2/h)

 

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that 0.045 mcg of mercury per pound (0.1 mcg per kg) of body weight per day is the maximum safe dose of mercury. Thus for a 150 pound individual, about 7 micrograms per day is considered safe.

 

Three different notations for microgram over three sentences: "μg", "mcg", and "microgram". That could be confusing if mixed terminology is used when detailing actual comp formulations. Or toxin exposure levels. Especially for newer colleagues.

 

Just sayin' :+}

  • Like 1
Posted

 

Three different notations for microgram over three sentences: "μg", "mcg", and "microgram". That could be confusing if mixed terminology is used when detailing actual comp formulations. Or toxin exposure levels. Especially for newer colleagues.

 

Just sayin' :+}

 

Very good point and I apologize for my ineptness. Sometimes I forget that my old memory bank is overwhelmed by a lifetime of technical terminology. Beyond that excuse, I must halt blaming "getting old". I'll be 79 in two week!

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