Chemistry For Your Life

What makes firecrackers go pop?

Listen Later

#227

Melissa and Jam delve into the chemistry behind firecrackers and Christmas crackers. They discuss the key component, silver fulminate, explaining its unstable nature and how it reacts to create the explosive effects. The discussion also touches on the octet rule, formal charges, and isomers. Along with sharing personal experiences and pranks involving firecrackers, they also recount historical debates between chemists over the discovery of isomers and their eventual agreement. The episode highlights the importance of chemistry in understanding everyday phenomena and ensuring safety.

00:00 Introduction and Firecracker Anecdotes

00:58 Chemistry of Firecrackers
04:53 Explosive Chemistry Explained
19:55 Historical Discoveries and Isomers
24:20 The Origins of a Scientific Discovery
24:48 Friendship and Scientific Collaboration
25:24 Understanding Isotopes and Isomers
27:20 Chemistry Behind Christmas Crackers
30:26 Fireworks and Safety Concerns
35:52 Fire Alarms and Home Safety
42:33 Supporting the Show and Community Shoutouts

Support this podcast on Patreon

Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel

Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

Watch our episodes on YouTube

Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife

References from the Episode:

  1. https://www.chemistryworld.com/opinion/festive-fuels/8016.article
  2. https://www.chemistryworld.com/podcasts/silver-fulminate-and-cyanate/3005952.article
  3. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03027
  4. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspa/article/139/839/576/3351/Thermal-decomposition-and-detonation-of-mercury
  5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0040603181801852
  6. https://cen.acs.org/articles/85/web/2007/08/Mercury-Fulminate-Revealed.html
  7. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03027

    8. Thanks to our monthly supporters

    • Amanda Raymond
    • Emily Morrison
    • Kyle McCray
    • Justine
    • Emily Hardy
    • Ash
    • Vince W
    • Julie S.
    • Heather Ragusa
    • Autoclave
    • Dorien VD
    • Scott Beyer
    • Jessie Reder
    • J0HNTR0Y
    • Jeannette Napoleon
    • Cullyn R
    • Erica Bee
    • Elizabeth P
    • Rachel Reina
    • Letila
    • Katrina Barnum-Huckins
    • Suzanne Phillips
    • Venus Rebholz
    • Jacob Taber
    • Brian Kimball
    • Kristina Gotfredsen
    • Timothy Parker
    • Steven Boyles
    • Chris Skupien
    • Chelsea B
    • Avishai Barnoy
    • Hunter Reardon
      • Support this podcast on Patreon
      Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel

      Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com

      Watch our episodes on YouTube

      Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife


      Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store
      Chemistry For Your LifeBy Melissa and Jam, Bleav
      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6
      • 4.6

      4.6

      294 ratings

      More shows like Chemistry For Your Life

      View all
      Science Quickly by Scientific American

      Science Quickly

      1,393 Listeners

      The Naked Scientists Podcast by The Naked Scientists

      The Naked Scientists Podcast

      600 Listeners

      Nature Podcast by Springer Nature Limited

      Nature Podcast

      763 Listeners

      SpaceTime with Stuart Gary by Stuart Gary

      SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

      322 Listeners

      The Quanta Podcast by Quanta Magazine

      The Quanta Podcast

      545 Listeners

      Science Vs by Spotify Studios

      Science Vs

      12,172 Listeners

      Discovery by BBC World Service

      Discovery

      969 Listeners

      BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

      BBC Inside Science

      408 Listeners

      Science Magazine Podcast by Science Magazine

      Science Magazine Podcast

      820 Listeners

      Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

      Unexpected Elements

      363 Listeners

      CrowdScience by BBC World Service

      CrowdScience

      482 Listeners

      Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

      Ologies with Alie Ward

      24,558 Listeners

      The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week by Popular Science

      The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

      2,179 Listeners

      Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

      Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

      2,373 Listeners

      The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

      The Supermassive Podcast

      325 Listeners