Methanol Cannon - Revision history

imported>Stwikiadmin at 17:17, 21 September 2016

2016-09-21T17:17:40Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:17, 21 September 2016
Line 42:		Line 42:

	===Full Explanation===		===Full Explanation===
	~~'''''COMING SOON'''''~~
	~~<!--~~
	This is where you will explain the demonstration in full, and provide all additional information that pertains to the demo. Unlike the short explanation above, this should be worded so someone who is familiar with the topics might understand it. If needed, you can provide equations and citations for additional sources of information on the topic. This is also where you will find some answers for trickier questions, such as "How does a plane fly upside-down?" for the Bernoulli's Principle demo. If you want to add a floating box for equations, copy the following:

	{\| class="wikitable" style="color:black; background-color:#ddd; text-align: ~~center~~; margin: auto"		Methyl alcohol (Methanol) is a simple alcohol with the form CH<sub>3</sub>OH. The "methyl" refers to the type of carbon group attached to the hydroxide, and by adding carbon groups we can get other alcohols such as:
	\| ~~This will give you~~		{\| class="wikitable" style="color:black; background-color:#ddd; text-align: left; margin-right: auto"
	\| ~~a floating box.~~		\| Methanol
			or Methyl Alcohol
			\| Methyl = 1 \|\| CH<sub>3</sub>--OH
	\|-		\|-
	\| ~~The box will be~~		\| Ethanol
	\| ~~centered for you.~~		or Ethyl Alcohol
			\| Ethyl = 2 \|\| CH<sub>3</sub>--CH<sub>2</sub>--OH
			\|-
			\| Propanol
			or Propyl Alcohol
			\| Propyl = 3 \|\| CH<sub>3</sub>--CH<sub>2</sub>--CH<sub>2</sub>--OH
			\|-
			\| Isopropanol
			or Isopropyl Alcohol
			\| Iso = Isomer
			\| CH<sub>3</sub>--CH--CH<sub>3</sub>
			<span style=color:#ddd>CH<sub>3</sub>--</span>'''└'''OH
	\|}		\|}
	~~-->~~
	~~== Additional Information ==~~

	* This ~~demonstration pairs well with the [[Nonburning Money]]~~, ~~the [[Candy Conflagration]]~~, and ~~the [[Potassium Permanganate And Glycerin]] demonstrations~~		Alcohols all share a few things in common. They are all ''Volatile'', or readily vaporize at room temperature. This is due to their vary low ''Heat Capacity'', as alcohols only need a small amount of heat to boil. Most importantly, alcohols are highly flammable, and when they burn they release a large amount of energy. This is largely due to how cleanly an alcohol fire burns:
	* This ~~demonstration~~ is ~~a part~~ of ~~the [[Fire and Ice Show]]~~		{\| class="wikitable" style="color:black; background-color:#ddd; text-align: left; margin-right: auto"
	<~~!--~~		\|+ Combustion of General Primary Alcohols
			\| RCH<sub>2</sub>OH + O<sub>2</sub> + Heat Source →
			R: "Refers" to more CH<sub>n</sub>
			\| CO<sub>2</sub> + H<sub>2</sub>O + Heat Released
			\|}

			Since the only products are CO<sub>2</sub>, H<sub>2</sub>O, and heat, this combustion reaction releases a lot of energy with next to no smoke production, and is able to burn quickly. This is why, in order to see the flame, we need to turn off the lights in the room! Since it burns so efficiently, there is no debris that can glow from the heat. Alcohol burns with a blue flame, but since it happens so quickly the flame is nearly impossible to see if the room is bright!

	~~Start out by warning~~ the ~~audience about~~ the ~~bright flash and loud noise and explaining that you have taken safety precautions - don't try this~~ at ~~home~~!		5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams, and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore, our little reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy, which is enough heat energy to make a single cup of tea! If the heat energy could all be converted into kinetic energy, it would be the energy needed for a 155 lb athlete to run at a 78 mph pace!

	~~Show~~ the ~~audience your 5 mL of methanol -~~ it~~'s a pretty tiny amount~~ of ~~liquid~~, ~~right? In fact~~, ~~this tiny bit of liquid holds~~ a ~~ton of energy~~ that is ~~stored in~~ the ~~chemical bonds between~~ the ~~atoms in~~ the ~~molecules~~. ~~Certain types~~ of ~~chemical reactions release part~~ of the ~~energy from those bonds. Methanol~~ is ~~highly flammable - it can catch fire really easily and participate~~ in a ~~combustion reaction~~ with the ~~oxygen~~ in the ~~air~~. ~~Let's use~~ this ~~methanol~~ to ~~perform a combustion reaction~~. ~~We just need a little bit~~ of ~~energy - a spark - to get~~ the reaction going~~. I'll use this lighter.~~		When ignited, we hear a definite ''Whoosh'' from the bottle, and if you watch carefully you may notice the flames inside the jug are spiraling. The sound is easy enough to identify: The air inside the jug is heating up quickly, which causes it to expand and rush out of the jug, causing the ''Whoosh''! However, there is a second part to the noise as well, and it is why the flames appear to spiral. The air that is escaping the jug is also pulling oxygen out with it. This means that the mixture inside the jug could lose some of the oxygen it needs to burn, and would end prematurely. What happens is that a ''Vortex'' forms at the mouth of the jug, allowing air to rush both ''into'' and ''out of'' the jug at same time! A vortex is when a fluid rotates around an axis, such as when you see a spiral of water in a drain. Vortexes allow matter to be transferred efficiently both ways, with one fluid going through the center and the other in the formed spiral. In this case, we see the flames form the spiral on the outside, allowing the heated, expanding air to move out. At the same time, cool, oxygen-rich air can move down the center of the vortex, into the combustion reaction to keep it going!

	~~Perform the demonstration.~~		== Additional Information ==

	~~Did you see all of~~ the energy that methanol combustion reaction released? That flame was huge! But how can we use the energy released in a combustion reaction to do useful things? We can certainly use a flame to heat things up, ~~like in a gas stove. If we use~~ the ~~heat from the flame to raise the temperature of a gas~~, ~~we will cause~~ the ~~gas to expand.~~ This is ~~how~~ a car's engine works - the spark plugs in the engine produce many tiny flames per second using gasoline instead of methanol. Each combustion reaction causes the pressure to rise in your car's cylinder as the gas tries to expand. This produces pressure on the pistons in the engine. The car uses the movement of the ~~piston to cause its tires to turn and to propel you down the road.~~		* This demonstration pairs well with the [[Nonburning Money]], the [[Candy Conflagration]], and the [[Potassium Permanganate And Glycerin]] demonstrations
			* This demonstration is a part of the [[Fire and Ice Show]]

	~~== Why It Is ==~~

	~~For more information about combustion reactions, see~~ [[~~Nonburning Money~~]].

	~~5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!~~

	~~== Real Life Examples ==~~

	Combustion reactions power car engines! Spark plugs in a car ignite gasoline, another flammable chemical, to produce small combustion reactions that increase the pressure on the engine's pistons. This happens on a scale much smaller and much faster than in this demonstration - the combustion reactions are produced many times per second in the car. The machinery in the car converts thereby converts the chemical energy stored in the gasoline into mechanical energy to move the car.
	~~-->~~

imported>Stwikiadmin at 16:38, 7 September 2016

2016-09-07T16:38:01Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:38, 7 September 2016
Line 1:		Line 1:
	== ~~Age ==~~		{\| class="wikitable" style="color:black; background-color:#ddd; margin-left: auto; float:right"
			\| [[Chemistry]]:
			\| Combustion Reactions, Vortexes
			\|-
			\| Grade Range:
			\| [[Elementary School]], [[Middle School]], [[High School]]
			\|-
			\| Format:
			\| [[Stage]]
			\|}

	~~Elementary School~~, ~~Middle School~~, ~~High School~~		The Methanol Cannon is a Science Theatre classic, and works for all ages. This demonstration does produce a large flame, so follow all safety precautions for this demonstration to minimize risk of injury.

	== ~~Format~~ ==		== Materials ==

	~~Stage Show~~		* 5 Gallon Jug with Cork
			* Methanol
			* Centrifuge Tube
			* Tall Matches

	== ~~Materials~~ ==		== Safety Precautions ==

	~~5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from water-cooler supply companies)~~		Please read the Fire Safety section of the [[Demonstration Safety]] page before performing this demonstration.
	~~Rubber stopper for jug~~
	~~5 mL~~ of ~~methanol per canon~~
	~~Long-necked lighter~~

	~~== Safety Precautions ==~~		This demonstration requires: safety glasses, fireproof gloves

	~~Science Theatre demonstrators must keep~~ the ~~safety~~ of ~~themselves and their audience in mind at all times~~. ~~All Science Theatre demonstrators must have read through the Safety Training page. The ST Safety Box with first aid kit, fire extinguisher~~, ~~etc. should always be available to demonstrators. Always wear safety gloves, glasses, and~~ a ~~labcoat if handling chemicals; always perform potentially dangerous demonstrations at~~ a ~~safe distance from the audience; and always keep a very close eye on~~ any volunteers you call from the audience. The Methanol Canon is a very dangerous demonstration and, if not performed safely, can cause serious harm to both the performers and audience. The audience should be seated at least 15 ft away from the canons. Performers must use extreme caution (see Demonstration). The water jug must be taped up (see Preparation). Have a fire extinguisher ready to use if something goes wrong! Methanol is toxic - use gloves to handle it, do not inhale, and consult its MSDS sheet for more information.		When performing this demonstration, avoid bringing the bulk container of methanol if possible. Instead, bring a much smaller amount in a 50mL bottle. This will minimize any risk of accidental ignition.

	~~[http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId~~=~~9927227: Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) MSDS]~~		== Demonstration ==

	~~== Preparation ==~~		# Put on the safety glasses. Measure out 5mL of Methanol using the centrifuge tube, and hold it aloft so the audience sees how little you are using. Pour the 5mL into the 5 gallon jug and cork it. Close the methanol container and remove it from the table, having it at least 5 feet from the table.
			# Pick up the jug and start swirling it to vaporize the contents. Explain what you are doing to the audience, and introduce the term ''Volatile''.
			# Have someone standing at the ready to turn off the lights in the room. Put on the gloves, light the long match, and hold it downward so the flame can creep up the stick. Ask for a countdown from 5: at 3, start pulling out the cork, and have the lights turn off at 1. Once the lights are off, pull the cork out completely and drop the match in.
			# After the fire happens, have the lights turn back on and explain the demonstration.

	~~Prepare the water jugs by taping them up, Use clear plastic shipping tape to reinforce the seams in the side of the plastic jug to help prevent shattering during the combustion reaction.~~		== Why This Works ==

	== ~~Demonstration~~ ==		===Short Explanation===
			Methanol is a simple alcohol, and like all alcohols it is volatile. ''Volatile'' means that it will quickly vaporize while in the open, even if it isn't warm enough to boil. Alcohols are also very flammable, and release a lot of energy when they burn. This reaction only uses 5 mL of methanol, or about a tablespoon, and we still get a very big flame and a very loud whoosh when we light it! The flame we see is blue because of how hot this reaction is, and the reaction itself is a "clean" combustion reaction, since it only produces water, carbon dioxide and heat!

	~~Warn~~ the ~~audience~~ that ~~this demonstration will produce a bright flash~~ and a ~~loud noise~~, ~~but explain that you are taking many safety precautions.~~		An interesting additional fact about this reaction is the shape the fire has while burning. Some students might notice that the fire inside the jug is swirling. This happens because of two things: the hot air inside rushing out, and the cool, oxygen rich air rushing in. The air rushing out creates a ''Vortex'', or the "whirlpool" shape, to allow air to rush in and keep the reaction going!

	~~Add ~5 mL of methanol to~~ the ~~jug~~ and ~~cap it with~~ the ~~rubber stopper~~. ~~Shake~~ the ~~jug well for about 30 seconds to evaporate~~ the ~~methanol~~. ~~Remove the rubber stopper~~ and ~~hold a flame to the top~~ of the ~~jug~~. ~~You may need to slightly insert the flame in to the neck of the jug, but it~~ is ~~extremely important that~~ you ~~not let your hand get so near that~~ the ~~flame touches~~ you~~! Use~~ a ~~long-necked lighter to keep your hand safe.~~		===Full Explanation===
			'''''COMING SOON'''''
			<!--
			This is where you will explain the demonstration in full, and provide all additional information that pertains to the demo. Unlike the short explanation above, this should be worded so someone who is familiar with the topics might understand it. If needed, you can provide equations and citations for additional sources of information on the topic. This is also where you will find some answers for trickier questions, such as "How does a plane fly upside-down?" for the Bernoulli's Principle demo. If you want to add a floating box for equations, copy the following:

	~~If possible, turn out the lights so the audience can see the blue flame more easily~~. ~~You can light off multiple canons at once~~ for ~~a more impressive effect~~.		{\| class="wikitable" style="color:black; background-color:#ddd; text-align: center; margin: auto"
			\| This will give you
			\| a floating box.
			\|-
			\| The box will be
			\| centered for you.
			\|}
			-->
			== Additional Information ==

	~~Alternatively~~, ~~you can build an automatic ignition system into~~ the ~~bottles~~ [2].		* This demonstration pairs well with the [[Nonburning Money]], the [[Candy Conflagration]], and the [[Potassium Permanganate And Glycerin]] demonstrations
			* This demonstration is a part of the [[Fire and Ice Show]]
			<!--

	~~== What to Say ==~~

	Start out by warning the audience about the bright flash and loud noise and explaining that you have taken safety precautions - don't try this at home!		Start out by warning the audience about the bright flash and loud noise and explaining that you have taken safety precautions - don't try this at home!
Line 54:		Line 79:

	Combustion reactions power car engines! Spark plugs in a car ignite gasoline, another flammable chemical, to produce small combustion reactions that increase the pressure on the engine's pistons. This happens on a scale much smaller and much faster than in this demonstration - the combustion reactions are produced many times per second in the car. The machinery in the car converts thereby converts the chemical energy stored in the gasoline into mechanical energy to move the car.		Combustion reactions power car engines! Spark plugs in a car ignite gasoline, another flammable chemical, to produce small combustion reactions that increase the pressure on the engine's pistons. This happens on a scale much smaller and much faster than in this demonstration - the combustion reactions are produced many times per second in the car. The machinery in the car converts thereby converts the chemical energy stored in the gasoline into mechanical energy to move the car.
			-->

imported>Stwikiadmin at 14:34, 11 September 2013

2013-09-11T14:34:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 11 September 2013
(No difference)

imported>Stwikiadmin at 14:34, 11 September 2013

2013-09-11T14:34:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 11 September 2013
Line 47:		Line 47:
	== Why It Is ==		== Why It Is ==

	For more information about combustion reactions, see [Nonburning Money].		For more information about combustion reactions, see [[Nonburning Money]].

	5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!		5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!

imported>Stwikiadmin at 14:34, 11 September 2013

2013-09-11T14:34:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 11 September 2013
(No difference)

imported>Stwikiadmin at 14:34, 11 September 2013

2013-09-11T14:34:35Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 11 September 2013
Line 47:		Line 47:
	== Why It Is ==		== Why It Is ==

	For more information about combustion reactions, see ~~Demos.NonburningMoney~~.		For more information about combustion reactions, see [Nonburning Money].

	5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!		5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!

imported>Stwikiadmin: Created page with "== Age == Elementary School, Middle School, High School == Format == Stage Show == Materials == 5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from wat..."

2013-09-11T14:34:18Z

Created page with "== Age == Elementary School, Middle School, High School == Format == Stage Show == Materials == 5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from wat..."

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:34, 11 September 2013
(No difference)

imported>Stwikiadmin: Created page with "== Age == Elementary School, Middle School, High School == Format == Stage Show == Materials == 5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from wat..."

2013-09-11T14:34:18Z

Created page with "== Age == Elementary School, Middle School, High School == Format == Stage Show == Materials == 5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from wat..."

New page

== Age ==

Elementary School, Middle School, High School

== Format ==

Stage Show

== Materials ==

5-gallon jug (Culligan water bottle, available for a few dollars from water-cooler supply companies)
Rubber stopper for jug
5 mL of methanol per canon
Long-necked lighter

== Safety Precautions ==

Science Theatre demonstrators must keep the safety of themselves and their audience in mind at all times. All Science Theatre demonstrators must have read through the Safety Training page. The ST Safety Box with first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc. should always be available to demonstrators. Always wear safety gloves, glasses, and a labcoat if handling chemicals; always perform potentially dangerous demonstrations at a safe distance from the audience; and always keep a very close eye on any volunteers you call from the audience. The Methanol Canon is a very dangerous demonstration and, if not performed safely, can cause serious harm to both the performers and audience. The audience should be seated at least 15 ft away from the canons. Performers must use extreme caution (see Demonstration). The water jug must be taped up (see Preparation). Have a fire extinguisher ready to use if something goes wrong! Methanol is toxic - use gloves to handle it, do not inhale, and consult its MSDS sheet for more information.

[http://www.sciencelab.com/msds.php?msdsId=9927227: Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) MSDS]

== Preparation ==

Prepare the water jugs by taping them up, Use clear plastic shipping tape to reinforce the seams in the side of the plastic jug to help prevent shattering during the combustion reaction.

== Demonstration ==

Warn the audience that this demonstration will produce a bright flash and a loud noise, but explain that you are taking many safety precautions.

Add ~5 mL of methanol to the jug and cap it with the rubber stopper. Shake the jug well for about 30 seconds to evaporate the methanol. Remove the rubber stopper and hold a flame to the top of the jug. You may need to slightly insert the flame in to the neck of the jug, but it is extremely important that you not let your hand get so near that the flame touches you! Use a long-necked lighter to keep your hand safe.

If possible, turn out the lights so the audience can see the blue flame more easily. You can light off multiple canons at once for a more impressive effect.

Alternatively, you can build an automatic ignition system into the bottles [2].

== What to Say ==

Start out by warning the audience about the bright flash and loud noise and explaining that you have taken safety precautions - don't try this at home!

Show the audience your 5 mL of methanol - it's a pretty tiny amount of liquid, right? In fact, this tiny bit of liquid holds a ton of energy that is stored in the chemical bonds between the atoms in the molecules. Certain types of chemical reactions release part of the energy from those bonds. Methanol is highly flammable - it can catch fire really easily and participate in a combustion reaction with the oxygen in the air. Let's use this methanol to perform a combustion reaction. We just need a little bit of energy - a spark - to get the reaction going. I'll use this lighter.

Perform the demonstration.

Did you see all of the energy that methanol combustion reaction released? That flame was huge! But how can we use the energy released in a combustion reaction to do useful things? We can certainly use a flame to heat things up, like in a gas stove. If we use the heat from the flame to raise the temperature of a gas, we will cause the gas to expand. This is how a car's engine works - the spark plugs in the engine produce many tiny flames per second using gasoline instead of methanol. Each combustion reaction causes the pressure to rise in your car's cylinder as the gas tries to expand. This produces pressure on the pistons in the engine. The car uses the movement of the piston to cause its tires to turn and to propel you down the road.

== Why It Is ==

For more information about combustion reactions, see Demos.NonburningMoney.

5 mL of methanol weighs about 4 grams and methanol has an energy density of about 23 MJ/kg. Therefore our reaction releases about 90 kJ of energy!

== Real Life Examples ==

Combustion reactions power car engines! Spark plugs in a car ignite gasoline, another flammable chemical, to produce small combustion reactions that increase the pressure on the engine's pistons. This happens on a scale much smaller and much faster than in this demonstration - the combustion reactions are produced many times per second in the car. The machinery in the car converts thereby converts the chemical energy stored in the gasoline into mechanical energy to move the car.