Apple

Wow, that would be awesome. Fill a 20 oz bottle with drain-o and aluminum foil balls, stick it in someone's mailbox. I'd never thought of that, or else I might have tried it. I bet it would be cool.

I wonder what would happen if you did it in some kind of really thick bottle. Maybe a really thick glass wine bottle with the cork hammered in... the pressure needed to explode something like that must be enormous!

And might I ask, what is this "drain-o"?

It's toilet cleaner.

I believe it's sodium hydroxide in Drain-o and The works that reacts with the aluminum foil. I don't know the exact chemistry behind it, but I'm fairly certain it's the soxium hydroxide.

Ah, my bad. The-Works is toilet cleaner. Drano is for unclogging shit, I think.

Same difference.

What happens is:

The reactions with the NaOH and the Al forms Hydrogen gas. Since it's a fairly violent reaction, a lot of the gas is formed, quickly, which causes a closed container to explode. Warm NaOH should be a lot more violent.

Oh, water is needed, too:

2Al(s) + 2NaOH(aq) + 6H20(l) ===> 2NaAl(OH)4(aq) + 3H2(g)

Basically it happens because the strong base (Sodium Hydroxide) attacks the aluminium and reacts with it.

I wonder what would happen if you did it in some kind of really thick bottle. Maybe a really thick glass wine bottle with the cork hammered in... the pressure needed to explode something like that must be enormous! And might I ask, what is this "drain-o"?

I suppose it's actually called, Drano.... but it is just a common Drain cleaner that you'd use in your kitchen to clean out your drains.

Oh, that stuff. Well, not that stuff, but I know what it is.

Righto.

Any idea which chemical in it reacts with the aluminium? Just thinking, if you can get the chemical on its own, and heat it up before adding the aluminium balls, the reaction may be more violent and result in a bigger explosion.

EDIT: My my! !K_A! seems to be a psychic!

Oh, that stuff. Well, not that stuff, but I know what it is. Righto. Any idea which chemical in it reacts with the aluminium? Just thinking, if you can get the chemical on its own, and heat it up before adding the aluminium balls, the reaction may be more violent and result in a bigger explosion. EDIT: My my! !K_A! seems to be a psychic!

Actually, I was wrong, it's the Hydrocloric acid. I'll link a video here.

Someone suggested to put a bunch of nuts and bolts in the bottle and stick it in a mailbox, and it will blow the mailbox to pieces.

http://theubergeeks.net/2005/08/21/the-works-bomb/

Also, it's good to not crumple up the aluminum foil balls TOO much, because the more surface area that is exposed, the faster the reaction will happen.

The internet says the same thing will happen with the Sodium Hydroxide. And it makes sense.

Same thing should work with HCl - the Hydrogen is there, for starters... Hydrochloric Acid + Aluminium ==> Hydrogen + Aluminium Chloride, I guess.

Also, it's good to not crumple up the aluminum foil balls TOO much, because the more surface area that is exposed, the faster the reaction will happen.

Yes, well, some of us want to have enough time to get away from it





Edit: Oh, and I'm sorry I hijacked this thread and turned it into Terrorism 101.. Lmao.

Yes, well, some of us want to have enough time to get away from it Edit: Oh, and I'm sorry I hijacked this thread and turned it into Terrorism 101.. Lmao.

It's not going to happen so fast that you can't get away unless you're doing something really crazy. Get a really good bottle and don't be stupid and you're in for some fun.

I've heard Vault bottles work REALLY well.

Also, do be careful, getting caught doing this can land you up to 10 years in prison from what I've heard.