Burning Iron in Liquid Oxygen - Periodic Table of Videos

TL;DR

Brady and Neil conducted an experiment of burning iron wool in liquid oxygen, resulting in spectacular colors and unexpected reactions.

Transcript

Sometimes Brady and Neil do experiments that are just for fun And then they ask me what's going on. So the experiment they decided to do was to drop a piece of burning iron wool this is finely divided iron wire that looks a bit like my hair. Slightly darker. And you can light such iron wool by putting it across the terminals of a small battery and ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫗 Burning iron wool in liquid oxygen creates stunning, unpredictable colors due to the exothermic reaction.
• 🧘 Different angles, reflections, and positions affect the visual outcome of the experiment.
• 🫢 The iron likely forms a bubble of oxygen gas within the liquid oxygen, sustaining combustion.
• 🤑 The experiment's violent reaction caused damage to the plastic box and demonstrated that silicone burns in an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Questions & Answers

Q: What happens when iron wool is burned in liquid oxygen?

When iron wool is burned in liquid oxygen, it reacts exothermically with oxygen, producing beautiful colors. The iron may not completely burn, resulting in the formation of iron oxides.

Q: How does the experiment with burning iron wool in liquid oxygen differ each time?

The experiment's outcome varies due to factors like where the iron is dropped, how light reflects, and the observer's position. This results in different and visually captivating pictures each time.

Q: Why does the iron become hotter when dropped into the liquid oxygen?

The iron likely becomes hotter because it forms a bubble of oxygen gas within the liquid oxygen, sustaining the combustion. However, this cannot be observed from the top due to viewing through liquid oxygen.

Q: What unexpected reactions occurred during the experiment?

The experiment resulted in a violent reaction, pushing out burning bits of iron from the beaker. Some burning iron bits landed on a plastic box, setting fire to the silicone sealant. Additionally, the molten iron created lumps that did not burn as quickly and eventually cooled down.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Burning iron wool in liquid oxygen produces beautiful colors due to the exothermic reaction between iron and oxygen.

• The experiment was not very reproducible and resulted in different and stunning pictures each time.

• The iron became hotter when dropped into the liquid oxygen, suggesting the formation of a hot iron bubble within the cold liquid.