Water bottle explosion with acid smell

In summary, at the speaker's school there was an explosion in a water bottle that caused the recycling bin door to blow off. The liquid inside had a pH of 4 and a sweet acidic smell, possibly from a household cleaner with a fragrant additive. Students do not have access to chemicals at the school, except in lab situations where all chemicals are accounted for. The speaker suggests that the explosion may have been caused by a reaction between aluminum foil and a dissolving agent, such as a cleaner containing Sodium Hydroxide. The speaker hopes that no one was hurt and believes that students may have discovered this reaction and tried it in a bottle. The only issue with this theory is that NaOH cleaners have a strong, volatile smell.
  • #1
psimms
3
0
At the school where I teach, we recently had a recycling bin door blow off due to an explosion in a water bottle. Lots of heat was generated as evidenced by the melted, hard plastic and there was a sweet acidic smell to the liquid coating the inside of the bottle. The liquid had a pH of about 4. Any ideas?
 
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  • #2
Do students have access to chemicals at this school? If so it was probably some student that did some research and found out there was an easy way to make that happen, no ideas to what it could be but i bet it could be anything unless there are specific things students can get from the school.
 
  • #3
Students do not have access to chemicals at our school unless it is in a lab situation and all lab chemicals are accounted for at the end of each class...
 
  • #4
psimms said:
At the school where I teach, we recently had a recycling bin door blow off due to an explosion in a water bottle. Lots of heat was generated as evidenced by the melted, hard plastic and there was a sweet acidic smell to the liquid coating the inside of the bottle. The liquid had a pH of about 4. Any ideas?
How would you define sweet? Like honey? Flowers? Fruit? Lemons? There are plenty of fragrances in household cleaners. Dimethylbenzene is said to smell sweet, it attacks certain plastics, and is present in certain cleaners, fresheners, and polishes.

Good luck with your search!
 
  • #5
The sweet smell was fruity.
 
  • #6
psimms said:
The sweet smell was fruity.
Perhaps it involved a household cleaner with a fragrant additive, such as orange or lemon Pine-Sol.
 
  • #7
I hope no one was hurt. This sounds pretty weird almost as if it was not an accident.
 
  • #8
Aluminum foil plus some dissolving agent (acid or base) in PET bottle will be my bet.
 
  • #9
I agree that your best bet is a cleaner and Aluminum Foil. There are quite a number of household cleaners that contain Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) that will react violently with aluminum; especially if the cleaner is crystal form and made into a solution with water. Kids figured this out and tried putting it in a bottle... expanding gas has got to go somewhere. The only problem with this is that NaOH cleaners have a volatile lye smell; especially after reacting...
 

1. What causes a water bottle to explode with an acid smell?

The most common cause of a water bottle explosion with an acid smell is the reaction between an acidic substance (such as vinegar or lemon juice) and certain types of plastic. This reaction can create pressure inside the bottle and lead to an explosion.

2. Is it dangerous to inhale the acid smell from the water bottle explosion?

Inhaling the acid smell from a water bottle explosion can be harmful, depending on the strength of the acid and the duration of exposure. It is best to avoid breathing in the fumes and to handle the situation with caution.

3. Can a water bottle explosion with acid smell cause burns?

Yes, depending on the strength of the acid and the amount of contact with the skin, a water bottle explosion can cause chemical burns. It is important to wash the affected area with water and seek medical attention if necessary.

4. How can I prevent a water bottle explosion with acid smell?

To prevent a water bottle explosion with an acid smell, avoid mixing acidic substances with plastic water bottles. It is also important to properly dispose of any bottles that have been exposed to acidic substances.

5. What should I do if a water bottle explodes with an acid smell?

If a water bottle explodes with an acid smell, it is important to handle the situation with caution. Ventilate the area and avoid inhaling the fumes. If there is any skin contact with the acid, wash the affected area with water. If the explosion was large or there are any signs of injury, seek medical attention immediately.

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