The Works Bomb (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7177140300429967458)

Pretty sweet, huh?! I have to buy that stuff when I go to Wal-Mart!

Thought I'd share this with everyone, enjoy!

Being a science geek, I wonder what the chemical reaction actually is...

That's a cool video.

I was wondering about safety. You would stand back about 20-25 metres from the thing. Maybe safety goggles and an apron/lab coat (and possibly some gloves) might be worn to create the thing and to set it off.

And Kids, Don't try this thing as told in the video at home. These are done by mature persons, maybe in their 20s.

Yeah, apparently the fumes are toxic.

And Kids, Don't try this thing as told in the video at home. These are done by mature persons, maybe in their 20s.

Did you intend that to be funny? Because it is.

Gotta love sodium. :devil:

Most drain cleaners contain sodium hydrochlorite and/or sodium hydroxide. It's likely a reaction between sodium and water (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sodium%20water), which is extremely violent and exothermic. It's why sodium is usually stored in mineral oil or a similar substance, to protect it form the humidity.

Gotta love sodium. :devil:

Most drain cleaners contain sodium hydrochlorite and/or sodium hydroxide. It's likely a reaction between sodium and water (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sodium%20water), which is extremely violent and exothermic. It's why sodium is usually stored in mineral oil or a similar substance, to protect it form the humidity.

Pure sodium will do that, but sodium hydroxide will dissociate into sodium and hydroxide ions in water rather than exploding. Solid sodium hydroxide reacts violently with water, but I don't think the liquid (and diluted) stuff will. I'll ask my chem professor. Googling doesn't seem to have helped me.

Too late to edit:
Okay, my original suspicions were confirmed. Since the only reactants are the components of Drano (or Works) and aluminum...the reaction:

6 H2O + 2 Al(s) + 2 OH- --> 2 Al(OH)4-(aq) + 3 H2 (g)

Reaction is exothermic, the hydrogen expands, the plastic bottle explodes.

Huh, so the sodium isn't involved at all? Guess I should have finished high school chemistry. Thanks for the solution! And precipitate. ;)

Any idea why the sodium compounds are listed as the active ingredients?

Huh, so the sodium isn't involved at all? Guess I should have finished high school chemistry. Thanks for the solution! And precipitate. ;)

Any idea why the sodium compounds are listed as the active ingredients?

That's a good question. Hmm... I think it's less to do with the sodium itself than the other ions attached to it. Drano works by converting grease in drains to soap, which requires a base, as well as by breaking down complex proteins (like keratin). Potassium hydroxide will apparently convert grease to soap, but it may not do it so effectively.
This is something I'll have to ask my chemistry prof. about

Meanwhile...
Saponification (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponification)
Sodium hypochlorite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite)
Sodium hydroxide (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hydroxide)

Yes, please do. I'd really like to know what the purposes of the sodium compounds are.

Thanks for the links!

I talked to my chem prof about it, and the reason he gave was rather...boring. The saponification article basically (no pun intended) explains why it's either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide (Lithium hydroxide will apparently do the same thing, but it's VERY nasty stuff)--the molecules readily fall apart in water. KOH and NaOH will do the job just as well, but NaOH is cheaper and easier to find.

A friend and I made a CO2 bomb, actually a few of them. We used solid rocket fuel (something like 70% nitrate, 25% carbon, and 5% sulfur) to fill up an empty co2 cartridge then used an electrical charge to detonate it. Pretty awesome.
surprisingly we didn't have to worry about shrapnel, because most of it burnt up.

We took some video, but my friend has it. If I get it, I will post it.