A very strange chemical reaction

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a peculiar chemical reaction involving mercury thiocyanate and alternative reactions using sugar, ash, and alcohol. Participants explore the safety and toxicity of these reactions, as well as their historical and experimental contexts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a chemical reaction involving mercury thiocyanate as "the weirdest chemical reaction you'll ever see."
  • Another participant suggests further reading on the reaction, linking to a Wikipedia article about mercury(II) thiocyanate.
  • Some participants propose that a similar effect can be achieved using sugar, ash, and alcohol, noting that while this method is not harmless, it is safer than using mercury compounds.
  • Concerns are raised about the toxicity of mercury vapor, with one participant asserting it is "extremely toxic," while another counters that short-term exposures are rarely dangerous, emphasizing the risks of chronic poisoning.
  • A participant mentions that mercury-free versions of the reaction can be found commercially under names like "snake in eton hat" or "Schlangenhut."
  • Another participant shares their fascination with the reaction and recalls larger versions used in historical television shows, contrasting them with safer but less exciting demonstrations involving sugar and concentrated sulfuric acid.
  • Anecdotes are shared about past experiments and mishaps in a school setting, highlighting the challenges and surprises in handling chemical models and demonstrations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the toxicity of mercury vapor, with some asserting it is extremely toxic while others argue that short-term exposure is not as dangerous. The discussion includes multiple perspectives on the safety of various chemical reactions, indicating that no consensus exists on these points.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the safety of alternative reactions and the definitions of toxicity, which are not fully resolved. The varying experiences and interpretations of chemical demonstrations also highlight the complexity of the topic.

ElliotSmith
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This is probably the weirdest chemical reaction you'll ever see.

 
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You can get a similar effect with sugar, ash and alcohol. Still not harmless but better than burning mercury compounds.
 
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DrStupid said:
You can get a similar effect with sugar, ash and alcohol. Still not harmless but better than burning mercury compounds.

Mercury vapor is extremely toxic.
 
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ElliotSmith said:
Mercury vapor is extremely toxic.

Toxic for sure, but calling it "extremely toxic" is an exaggeration. Short term exposures to the vapor are rarely dangerous, it is the chronic poisoning that is a really serious problem.
 
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Borek said:
Toxic for sure, but calling it "extremely toxic" is an exaggeration. Short term exposures to the vapor are rarely dangerous, it is the chronic poisoning that is a really serious problem.

Right, sorry.
 
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You can still get some mercury free versions off the shelf under the name "snake in eton hat" or "Schlangenhut".
 
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Yuck, that is GROSS !
Fascinating, of course, and I'm fairly sure I've seen a much, much larger version used for a pre-CGI, B&W Sci-Fi TV thriller...

Coloured 'crystals in water-glass' are safer, but so tame by comparison...
--
Not so colourful, but pouring a generous dollop of Conc. Sulf. onto a pound of sugar was one of our school's classic 'Open Day' demos. Instant oozing lava-flow. Hard part was finding a student with the right combination of cold nerve and good sense, who'd not be tempted to try such at home...

Other fun demos were the town-gas-filled syrup tin bouncing its lid off the ceiling, and the 'Invisible Elephant' stomping a lidded biscuit tin in which a little water had just been boiled...

FWIW, with folk rushing in and out of the store-room, I found two complex zeolite 'crystal lattice' models on the floor in multiple pieces, spilled from their boxes. Oops. So, I gathered all the parts, turned the fragments about to identify symmetries, hastily re-assembled and re-boxed them...

Several weeks later, there was a foul yell from the store-room. Head of Department came out waving those models, 'Who did these ?'
'Uh, me, sir... Sorry, I found them on the floor in pieces-- Did I get them wrong ?'
'WRONG ? WRONG ?? They're PERFECT, but they ARRIVED broken ! We've spent TWO YEARS trying to re-assemble them !'
;-)
 

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