If you fancy trying something fun
you might want to try burning a cm or two of magnesium ribbon. It takes a little while before it takes off
but when it sparks it burns a very bright white light.
(warning: don't look directly at the white light though, it can cause damage to the eyes)
Why does this happen?
The reaction is extremely exothermic reaction (an
exothermic reaction is a chemical reaction accompanied by the evolution
of heat) and the product magnesium
oxide is heated to very high temperatures causing
it to glow white-hot. It is a very
unusual metal in that it doesn’t melt!
Magnesium burnt in air it creates magnesium oxide. This is the formula: 2Mg + O2 ---> 2MgO At the same time, magnesium nitrate is formed: 3Mg + N2 --> Mg3N2
Heating Aluminium
Also you
could try heating a piece of aluminium.
What happens to it? Well, like
magnesium it doesn’t appear to melt either, it does change though and goes
black and more brittle and the effect isn’t as bright or, in my opinion, exciting. It becomes aluminium oxide.
as
ReplyDeleteI was so excited till the end of this experiment. O have enjoyed it lots. Many many thanks for such kind of experiment. Heating and Cooling in Toronto
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