Posts tagged with ‘chemistry’

The science of rockets explained through soda bottles and slow motion photography

Materials scientist and Christmas Lecturer Mark Miodownik demonstrates some of the weird properties of ferrofluid.

This liquid is literally ‘dripping with magnetism’, containing a suspension of ferromagnetic nanoparticles that make the liquid responsive to external magnetic fields, generating unusual patterns, shapes and motion.

Afternoon science: Fun with nitrogen trilodide

Nitrogen Triiodide is an extremely sensitive explosive compound that, when dry, can be detonated by the lightest of touches or vibrations. As Dr Peter Wothers initiates the reaction, the Nitrogen Triiodide detonates incredibly quickly in a fraction of a second to release a purple cloud of iodine vapour into the room.

Devised to promote the 2012 Christmas Lectures, this is one of three large-scale, chemistry demos that were too big (or too dangerous!) to perform in the Ri Lecture Theatre in front of 400 young people.

Let’s Watch Neil Patrick Harris Inhale Sulfur Hexaflouride

Helium’s evil twin makes for great Buffalo Bill impressions. Science.

This is what happens when you drop a ball of hot nickel into a pot of honey. In case you were wondering.

Musical chemistry of the day: “All Along the Skeletal Chemical”

A voyage along the chemical molecular structures. From the infamous Aspartame to baneful Warfarin, from the comfortable Benzocaine to the inhuman Nandrolone.

Quantum Life: How Physics Can Revolutionise Biology

Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili gives this fascinating lecture on the interaction between biochemistry and quantum mechanics. The topic is pretty interesting, and Jim is great at explaining some of the key ideas of quantum physics in layman’s terms.

And now, here’s a red hot ball of nickel being dropped into some water

Pop pop fizz fizz, oh how fucking cool it is.