Volcano advice...

Post by BD » Sat Sep 23, 2006 1:13 am

Being Military, I can't conceive of having an underperforming volcano and this year, my daughter (or son... i forget now) has to make a volcano. I need you rhelp. I know there is at least 1 chemist here and at least 34 people smarter than me.

My order of preference is this:

1 - Mountain that BLOWS it's top via remote control (chemical reaction caused by electricity or chemical release) and spits red crap and oozes it for a good 5-20 minutes

2 - volcano that I use something wired to cause some effect similar to the above (I figuer this is a wash because I can do remote detonators)

4 - a volcano I poura chemical into to cause a oozing reaction

5 - #4 but i light a july 4 sparkler and sing the italian national anthem.

Your help is GREATLY appreciated.

EDIT - Apparently the chemicals need to not blind, kill or maime the kids and wash off, non-toxic. pbbbffft

Post by **warf** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:18 am

Thermite. If you have a lot of room, safety equipment, and paramedics on standby.

2500C

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 3488769585

Post by **Rico** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:47 am

I'm going away for the weekend, but I'll do some research when I get back.

My potassium permanganate/glycerol volcano is quite impressive, but the permanganate is something you can't get. *I'd* have to steal it, if I wanted it.

So that's out.

Post by **Dataspel** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:50 pm

My kids made their volcanos using vinegar and baking soda
with a little red food coloring. This is is an acid/base
nuetralization reaction. Very dependable, but also old fashioned,
if you ask me.

For today's kids, I would recommend Mentos and Coke. This
appears to be a complex interaction of surface tension in the
coke breaking down while simultaneously nucleation sites on
the Mentos are activated.

Don't forget to add toy soldiers to represent the doomed villagers.

Update: Don't ever drink Coke and eat a Mentos at the same
time. According to authoritative sources (i.e. the Internet),
it will make your head explode.

TooLBlue · Post by **TooLBlue** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 3:25 pm

I guess sticking dynamite under a heap of sand wouldn't quite cut it. Plus, the stuff is probably pricey...

Post by **Buzzed** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 6:44 pm

Dataspel wrote:
Update: Don't ever drink Coke and eat a Mentos at the same
time. According to authoritative sources (i.e. the Internet),
it will make your head explode.

did the mentos thing this weekend with a diet coke and 3/4 pack of mentos. blah blah blah, wasn't worth the effort. So make sure if you use this you use the full formulae!

Post by **D.A.R.K.[CotC]** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:51 am

We had a project like that in chemistry, one person bought a bunch of 2-litres of sprite, and a ton of mentos. The key thing is this: put 1 entire pack of mentos into a full 2-litre bottle of sprite, and BOOM! HUGE EXPLOSION!!

Post by **Scion** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:43 am

That was on Mythbusters, but they used diet coke and mentos. Freaking awesome. They got the darn reaction to shoot up over a building, but I forget how high it actually got. Pretty insane stuff.

Post by **Serpent** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:18 am

Scion wrote:That was on Mythbusters, but they used diet coke and mentos. Freaking awesome. They got the darn reaction to shoot up over a building, but I forget how high it actually got. Pretty insane stuff.

i coulda sworn it was regular coke...and i cant remember how high either, but i know it was at least 30-something feet.... even had to extend their measurements since they went so much higher than the building. lol

Post by BD » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:34 am

saw a video of a guy on google or youtube that ate a pack and drank a bunch of coke.... he was all cool and proud in the beginning... at the end of the video he had shit himself, could barely stand or talk and was very humble

Post by **Scion** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:38 pm

Ouch.

Serp...I dunno. I swear it was diet! But I might not be remembering it properly. I thought they did some investigating, thinking it was a reaction from the fake sweetner or somesuch. But now..I have no idea.

Ender[CotC] · Post by **Ender[CotC]** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:05 pm

thermite... lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrCWLpRc1yM

protective gear at least... if not a safety bunker... very far away.

very much like a volcano though.

Post by BD » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:44 pm

Ya, I think the thermite is out... I hear they regulate it to the inegar stuff... so perhaps a PC type Fan hooked up to a car battery with a remote on... to blow it up in the air... and a sparkler

Post by **Serpent** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:59 am

Scion wrote:Ouch.

Serp...I dunno. I swear it was diet! But I might not be remembering it properly. I thought they did some investigating, thinking it was a reaction from the fake sweetner or somesuch. But now..I have no idea.

you're right...saw it last night, on my dvr. lol... (not the show but the synopsis since i didnt have time to watch it. hehe)...it says diet in the description.

TooLBlue · Post by **TooLBlue** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:46 am

Mentos and Diet Coke.

Hey, there are diet coke cans litterred all over.

Ooh..!