Wonder how much thrust this thing makes? [pics]

[Mark R]

My latest lunatic science experiment. Don't try this at home.

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[Amused]

What is it?

 

[Evadman]

WTF?

 

[nodoubts2k]

Holy sh1t

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

why isn't that plastic jug melting?!?! it makes no sense!!

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX
why isn't that plastic jug melting?!?! it makes no sense!!

It is probably a chemical compund that ignites on contact with air, and is burning outside the jug.

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX
why isn't that plastic jug melting?!?! it makes no sense!!

if its a conbustible fuel, it's already used up all the oxygen inside the jug before it melted.

I would wager that it doesn't produce much thrust. If you want to try, turn it sideways and then set it off. Do us a favor, and stand behind the nozzle, too.

 

[dnuggett]

I would wager that it doesn't produce much thrust.

I'll say nada.

 

[h8red]

photoshop produces NO thrust j/k

 

[Fenixgoon]

what chemicals did you use to create that flame? pretty neat stuff. im into chemistry myself
there's this white powder (potassium phosphate i think) if you simply blow it into the air it combusts. go chemistry go!

 

[moshquerade]

did someone say t h r u s t?

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
what chemicals did you use to create that flame? pretty neat stuff. im into chemistry myself
there's this white powder (potassium phosphate i think) if you simply blow it into the air it combusts. go chemistry go!

used in the vietnam war, really nasty stuff. get it on you, best you could do was to cut off that part of your body. They called it Willy Peter (White Phosphorous).
Unless theres some other white powder that burns on contact with oxygen...

 

[InverseOfNeo]

Thats awesome!

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX
why isn't that plastic jug melting?!?! it makes no sense!!

CHEWBACCA!

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: Amorphus

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
what chemicals did you use to create that flame? pretty neat stuff. im into chemistry myself
there's this white powder (potassium phosphate i think) if you simply blow it into the air it combusts. go chemistry go!

used in the vietnam war, really nasty stuff. get it on you, best you could do was to cut off that part of your body. They called it Willy Peter (White Phosphorous).
Unless theres some other white powder that burns on contact with oxygen...

yeah they showed some of that in we were soldiers...pretty gross, but its the gross truth, and that is sad for those who encountered it


edit: it hardly produces any. we did that in high school and tried to get it to shoot off...doesnt work that well. it moves, obviously, but its not rocket propulsion by any means, so dont get your hopes up.

 

[Mark R]

Ok.

Much against my better judgement, I've repeated the experiment using a transparent bottle. Here are the results.

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I regret that I will not be repeating this experiment for a while, at least until my hair grows back

 

[tranceport]

Not much. Less than 1lb. You using rubbing alochol and air? I used to do that. I then moved up to glass bottles and used propane. then acetelyne and oxygen.. My last was a 2liter bottle equal parts acetelyne and oxygen. 20 ft of 2 conductor wire and a grill starter. Put the cap on the bottle. Just enough spark to make big b00ms for 4th of july. I quit it all its just too dangerous to be fooling with. I got better things to do now days.

Don't try any of this at home.

 

[Mark R]

Added oxygen and a capped bottle - now that really is insanely dangerous.

The thrust it produces is negligable - some simple calculations suggest about 0.1 N - I suspect it is actually slightly more than that (tried it with the bottle on its side) but still considerably less than 1 N.

 

[duke]

put the bottle on top of a scale and light it up. that'll give you a rough idea.

 

[Rufio]

ok.
so waht is it?

 

[OrByte]

Originally posted by: Mark R
Ok.

Much against my better judgement, I've repeated the experiment using a transparent bottle. Here are the results.

Pic6
Pic7

I regret that I will not be repeating this experiment for a while, at least until my hair grows back

wow nice pics!

I can produce a lot of thrust.

 

[jemcam]

AFAIK they're still using it today. We were using WP shells on a regular basis when I got out in 1999. I was in the artillery, and one of the favored techniques of using WP was to first shoot off some HE High Explosive rounds, and then follow it up right away with WP. It was called "shake and bake". The theory was to pierce fuel cells and gas tanks, then light 'er up with WP.

 

[Ryan]

I like taking a lighter, and filling an empy soda can up with the gas from the lighter, then lighting it on fire. It produces the same effect for a second or two

 

[sillymofo]

Originally posted by: Amorphus

Originally posted by: GtPrOjEcTX why isn't that plastic jug melting?!?! it makes no sense!!

if its a conbustible fuel, it's already used up all the oxygen inside the jug before it melted. I would wager that it doesn't produce much thrust. If you want to try, turn it sideways and then set it off. Do us a favor, and stand behind the nozzle, too.

or in front...

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Now how exactly did you do this?