Photo 12 Jan 119 notes 14-billion-years-later: ThermiteThermite is a mixture of aluminum and metal oxide powders, typically iron (III) oxide (AKA rust). At first glance it seems like a fairly boring brown powder, but add a little energy to it and it begins to react… and boy does it react! The reaction that takes place is a fairly simple redox reaction that oxidizes the aluminum and reduces the iron oxide according to: Fe2O3 + 2 Al → 2 Fe + Al2O3. The interesting byproduct of this reaction is the sheer amount of energy released. The mixture undergoing reaction can reach temperatures up to 2,500 °C (4,530 °F), hot enough to melt the iron and send droplets of molten metal flying. As such one of the applications of thermite is welding iron rail way lines together or such novelties as burning through cars.  The other cool/terrifying thing is that it is an entirely self contained reaction, this means it requires no additional oxygen to burn and can therefore burn underwater.

14-billion-years-later:

Thermite

Thermite is a mixture of aluminum and metal oxide powders, typically iron (III) oxide (AKA rust). At first glance it seems like a fairly boring brown powder, but add a little energy to it and it begins to react… and boy does it react! The reaction that takes place is a fairly simple redox reaction that oxidizes the aluminum and reduces the iron oxide according to: Fe2O3 + 2 Al → 2 Fe + Al2O3. The interesting byproduct of this reaction is the sheer amount of energy released. The mixture undergoing reaction can reach temperatures up to 2,500 °C (4,530 °F), hot enough to melt the iron and send droplets of molten metal flying. As such one of the applications of thermite is welding iron rail way lines together or such novelties as burning through cars.  The other cool/terrifying thing is that it is an entirely self contained reaction, this means it requires no additional oxygen to burn and can therefore burn underwater.

via (±0.2 Billion Years.).
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    In case of evil robot attack, here’s a recipe for thermite. It’s pretty cheap! Powdered rust, powdered aluminum (best...
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    Mythbusters’ take on thermite.
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    my favorite reactions :) It’s what originally got me into Chemistry!
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    Who says Redox sucks?
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