Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Create crazy Halloween pumpkins

FaceOfChemistry.com - 31-10-2010 at 07:15

Hi experimenters! I'm posting my chemistry project on Halloween. So, here is the procedure:

1. Prepare and cut your pumpkin.
2. Place inside candle and light it.
3. Fold aluminum foil and place it on the top of pumpkin.
4. Add ammonium dichromate (for first project) and light it.
4. Add mercury (II) thiocyanate (for second project) and light it.

Videos on youtube:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xscg_SKXkE&feature=mfu_i...
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&...

Crazy Halloween pumpkin 01.JPG - 263kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 03.JPG - 271kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 04.JPG - 197kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 06.JPG - 244kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 07.JPG - 233kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 09.JPG - 255kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 10.JPG - 257kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 16.JPG - 265kB Crazy Halloween pumpkin 18.JPG - 78kB

Scary Halloween pumpkin 08.JPG - 259kB

Halloween pumpkins

FaceOfChemistry.com - 31-10-2010 at 07:17

More photos:

Scary Halloween pumpkin 09.JPG - 274kBScary Halloween pumpkin 10.JPG - 316kBScary Halloween pumpkin 11.JPG - 247kB

psychokinetic - 31-10-2010 at 14:33

Har, the explosive pumpkin would be great for scaring people OFF MAH DANG LAWN.

madscientist - 31-10-2010 at 14:56

Almost looks like some kind of crazy pumpkin hairdo at the end.

peach - 1-11-2010 at 03:18

The Pharaohs snake is one very strange looking reaction.

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Picric-A - 1-11-2010 at 04:49

Whats the decomposition product of Mercury thiocyanate?

hissingnoise - 1-11-2010 at 05:16

The "snakes" (Pharaoh's Serpents) are composed mostly of paracyanogen and mercuric sulphide.
The reaction itself produces some mercury vapour so it isn't exactly child-friendly?



peach - 1-11-2010 at 05:52

I thought that as well, when I saw kits for kids featuring rocks that 'come alive' when ignited.

People spend thousands of pounds neutralizing mercury risks and arguing over the hazards, then hand their kids a not very educational toy composed mainly of mercury compounds.

It's a reversible equation, running backwards in this case.