Klarinet Archive - Posting 000337.txt from 2002/12

From: Jeremy A Schiffer <schiffer@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] WOO HOO!
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 12:40:15 -0500

On Thu, 12 Dec 2002, Bill Wright wrote:

> Off topic, but.... NEVERTHELESS, some comment should be made here *NOT*
> to try the hot marble experiment!
>
> I was friends with a kid who, after learning that shotgun pellets used
> to be manufactured this way (perhaps still are?), decided to manufacture
> his own shotgun pellets by throwing molten lead into the air and
> allowing the molten droplets to fall into water.
>
> My friend lost one eye from the steam explosion, and he carried a
> severely scarred face for the remainder of his life.
>
> Don't throw hot objects into water. You simply cannot predict the
> details of what will happen.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend's misfortune, Bill, but that's just an
endorsement for keeping kids away from fire.

It is possible to predict the results which were obtained in that case.
Lead melts at 621 degrees F, while water boils at 212 degrees F. The
resulting release of large amounts of steam will always occur in that
situation because the molten lead will instantly boil any water it
touches.

On the other hand, marbles in boiling water are < 212 degrees, ~1/3 the
temperature of the lead. Since the marbles will be cooler than the boiling
point of water, they won't cause a comparable steam release.

Of course, if you hold the marbles in the fire, rather than place them in
the water, you'll get the same results as the ill-fated lead experiment.

Also, there's the difference between _throwing_ and _placing_ which
should be evident.

The marbles-in-the-water is a standard high school chemistry experiment.
As long as you take normal precautions and don't do anything stupid, it's
safe to replicate at home.

-jeremy

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Jeremy A. Schiffer
AcIS Security Administrator
Columbia University
212-854-2903
AcIS Nextel *75

Please direct all computer security related queries to
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