Chemistry lesson 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
I am a high school science teacher in the UK. I usually teach physics but because of teacher shortages I ended up teaching chemistry a couple of years ago. As you all know, chemistry can be real fun especially when you get on to the subject of reactive metals.
I decided to liven up a particular chemistry lesson by demonstrating the awesome energy released when silver nitrate, magnesium and a drop of water are mixed. This particular reaction is very violent, exploding in a brilliant white flash when a drop of water is added to the chemicals. It usually ends up in the crucible being shattered. On this particular occasion I decided to mix up the chemicals in a sturdy mortar dish to save on crockery. This was my first mistake.
I carefully mixed the powders in the bone dry mortar, stepped back and at arms length added a drop of water with a pipette. A small fizz preceded a violent flash and a collective "ahhhh" from the impressed pupils. As always on these occasions the pupils shouted "Do it again sir!" and as always I said "OK!". But not as always I didn't require a new, bone dry crucible because me being Mr Clever had used a sturdy, reusable mortar dish.
I proceeded to add the chemicals again to the mortar. I added the silver nitrate crystals, crushed them up a little. I then added a liberal spatula of magnesium powder and began to mix the two, my head bent over the dish to see that they were mixed properly. Unfortunately for me the mortar was a little damp and warm from the previous reaction. Fortunately for me, as well as inheriting a stupidity gene I have also inherited a gene for very fast reflex actions. At the first hint of a fizz I threw my head back whilst simultaneously shielding the mortar from my face and body with my hands as the violence of nature was unleashed from the chemicals in the dish. Within a hundredth of a second the reactants spewed forth their energy in a blinding flash of pure white light and heat. You can guess what happened to my hands.
My second mistake occurred later at home after a trip to the hospital for emergency treatment. Both my hands were heavily bandaged and my head was pretty fuzzy on account of the prescription pain killers I had taken for the excruciating pain of the second degree burns I had incurred. I decided to have a cigarette, it had been a pretty rough day. I don't know if you've ever tried to light a cigarette lighter with fully bandaged hands. Anyway, let me just say I found it pretty ironic at how flammable burn dressings are.
To finish off, I would like to apologize to my three children. I'm sorry if you've inherited that particular gene of mine that leads me to do stupid things.
Jason Southall, Birmingham, UK Submitted on 06/08/2002
Submitted by:
jason southall
Reference:
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