Grain+Elevator+Explosion!

= = = = =Materials=
 * Coffee tin with hole on the side
 * Small candle
 * Tube
 * Funnel
 * Lycopodium powder



=Step-by-Step Procedure= 1. Place funnel inside coffee tin  so the thinner end pokes out of the hole and the broader end faces the opposite side of the can 2 . Take the Lycopodium powder and place it in one end of the tube (sticking the tube in about ½ an inch in the vial of powder can achieve this) 3 . Place the tube and Lycopodium powder so that it covers the end of the funnel that pokes out of the tin

4. Take candle and light it

5. CAREFULLY place the candle inside the tin (you can achieve this by tilting the tin at a 45 degree angle and placing the candle sideways as such)

6. Blow through the other end of the tube, to propel the Lycopodium powder into the flame.



=   Explanation=  What is a grain elevator? On a farm, imagine the big, red barn. Now, imagine those enormous towers right next to the barn. These are called grain elevators: they work as a “closet” for when the farmer collects his grain. A grain elevator explosion works exactly how it sounds: the grain elevator explodes. Why, you may ask? Simply, if there is a source of ignition in the pile of grain, then the entire tower will go up in flames. The reason for this is simple: the grain is flammable and a tiny spark can devour the grain elevator in flames.

 Why? Chemistry (more or less); all of this has to do with a particle’s surface area. The surface area of a particle is the entire area around the particle itself. Think of it like an orange peel on an orange. The orange peel may be considered the surface area. Many of you are probably confused about how this ties in with an explosion. Before I get into explaining it, you have to know the three components of a combustion reaction, or an explosion. The three components include a source of oxygen, a source of fuel, and a source of ignition. In the grain elevator explosion, the source of fuel is the grain; the source of oxygen is what is inside the grain elevator already (the air); and the source of ignition could include a spark. This relates to surface area because a particle would not ignite if the entire surface area isn’t exposed to air (oxygen). In fact, for the grain elevator explosion, the particles of grain are so lightweight, that they can be suspended in air; therefore, the entire particle is exposed to oxygen.

 For this demo, I’m using Lycopodium powder instead. What is Lycopodium powder? It is a fine powder that is made from a certain type of moss. This is a substitute for the grain that will be in the “elevator”. This can work as grain because it is lightweight enough to be suspended in air, so it would similarly act as it. Ordinarily, Lycopodium powder is flammable. Although this is flammable, it would not ignite if placed in a pile. But remember surface area; once a grain particle is suspended in air, it will ignite. For this combustion reaction, the source of ignition is the candle already inside the coffee tin. The source of oxygen is in the air. Once I blow through the tube, the grain will ignite and, thanks to surface area, would produce a flame.

=Chemical Equations= Word Equation: Fuel + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + Water vapor


 * Example: 2 C 4 H 10 + 9 O 2 → 8 CO 2 + 10 H 2 O

=Tragedies=

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In 1878 in the humble town of Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Washburn “A” Mill exploded, killing 18 people and destroying nearby farmland. In 1883, the Erie Elevator exploded, as it was made of wood, killing five people. Later, it was rebuilt, only to be destroyed again. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 70%;">

=Facts about Grain Elevators= · <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Joseph Dart constructed the first grain elevator in Buffalo, New York, in 1842 · <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Peavey–Haglin Experimental Concrete Grain Elevator was the first concrete grain elevator, built in 1899 · Originally, grain elevators were constructed out of wood, until people discovered the dangers of building with it =Real-Life Applications=
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Knowing surface area is an important component in geometry
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once you know about combustion equations, you can recognize the components of a reaction

=Resources:=

"Demonstrations - Lycopodium Powder." //Angelo State University//. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. <http://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/demos/lycopodium/lycopodium.htm>.

"Grain Elevators -- History." //The Buffalo History Works: 2006//. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. <http://www.buffalohistoryworks.com/grain/history/history.htm>.