Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Candle Wax Water Explosion Experiment Explantion required

Candle Wax Water Explosion Experiment Explantion required

EliasExperiments - 12-11-2020 at 10:45

Hi, I've made a video of the classic candle wax water explosion demonstration, but to make it more interesting I have also tried some other liquids like acetone, gasoline and liquid butane:

https://youtu.be/XQ_t7-w2uDA

Interestingly enough the reaction with acetone and gasoline turned out to be quite spectacular, while whith the liquid butane, even though it is colder and more volatile it didn't really do anything.

Does anybody have an idea why that is?

I can only guess and I don't want to write my ideas down already, so I don't stop anybody who might come up with a better idea.

njl - 12-11-2020 at 11:00

Maybe it's the leidenfrost effect between the hot wax and butane.

Fluorite - 12-11-2020 at 12:40

Ahaha I just remembered! two months ago I tried burning some sulfur using a candle but I accidentally dropped sulfur in the molten wax and it started bubbling H2S I guess :/ I freaked the f out and I poured water in it and I almost lost my vision! A hUGE FIRE BALL appeared out of nowhere! Also H2S wasn't going to poison me because it'll simply burn to SO2

EliasExperiments - 13-11-2020 at 11:06

@njl yeah that what I was guessing too. But still weird, that it doesn't explode after the leidenfrost effect stops.

@Fluorite Lol that is an amazing story.

Very interesting that wax and sulfur react to form H2S I didn't know that. I guess that is very good to know!

Morgan - 14-11-2020 at 18:41

One thing about comparing the evaporation of say water and methanol is that water takes a little over twice as many calories or it can cool twice the amount as it evaporates. But the rate at which alcohol evaporates is much greater and perhaps something like that partially explains why butane was so much more tame than ice cold water.
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fluids-evaporation-latent...

[Edited on 15-11-2020 by Morgan]

pneumatician - 5-5-2021 at 05:15

Quote: Originally posted by EliasExperiments

Interestingly enough the reaction with acetone and gasoline turned out to be quite spectacular, while whith the liquid butane, even though it is colder and more volatile it didn't really do anything.

Does anybody have an idea why that is?

I can only guess and I don't want to write my ideas down already, so I don't stop anybody who might come up with a better idea.

[Edited on 5-5-2021 by pneumatician]

draculic acid69 - 5-5-2021 at 18:03

Quote: Originally posted by Fluorite

Ahaha I just remembered! two months ago I tried burning some sulfur using a candle but I accidentally dropped sulfur in the molten wax and it started bubbling H2S I guess :/ I freaked the f out and I poured water in it and I almost lost my vision! A hUGE FIRE BALL appeared out of nowhere! Also H2S wasn't going to poison me because it'll simply burn to SO2

I think there's a rxn between the wax and the sulfur. I've seen this somewhere before but can't remember where. good idea for a poison candle though. Or a terrific gift for someone you don't like or feel totally indifferent to.

draculic acid69 - 5-5-2021 at 18:24

Just watched the video. No way you didn't light yourself on fire.
Great video though. The entertainment with the chemistry
is a winning combination.

yobbo II - 7-5-2021 at 16:00

Is the whole thing similar to why you should never put water on a pan of (cooking) oil that is on fire?

There is also a waste oil burner where water and oil are dripped onto a heated plate to cause a very small explosion each time. I believe they work great and are noisey.

Yob

EliasExperiments - 11-5-2021 at 08:40

@draculic acid69 The first reaction with the acetone was really just pure luck. Never try anything on such a scale while being so close is a good lesson there I guess. Also the beaker disappeared so it is another miracle I didn't get hit by flying glass shrapnel

@yobbo II Yes this is exactly why you should never put water on burning oil. That waste oil burner sounds really interesting, but a regular wig and no water would also do.