Poor guy gets badly hurt

[PaulB]

 

[NormanD]

It's been proven on a well known discovery channel program, that throwing a cigarette / lighted match or anything that produces a flame, will not cause the petrol (in the toilet bowl) to ignite at any stage.

Myth Busted! 

 

[vernon]

It's been proven on a well known discovery channel program, that throwing a cigarette / lighted match or anything that produces a flame, will not cause the petrol (in the toilet bowl) to ignite at any stage.

Myth Busted!

It's not the liquid that explodes but the vapour air mix.

Anyone try to cause an explosion by throwing an ignition source directly into a flammable liquid will invariably be disappointed. In some instances the ignition source will be extinguished e.g. with paraffin and diesel. Don't ask me how I know

However, hydrocarbon vapours can cause explosions of a low grade kind (a pressure wave and a dull thud as opposed to the as evidenced by the absence of the front part of my hair and a massive downfall of soot when I tried to re-light a coal fire by pouring some paraffin on the hot embers then throwing a match at them. The ensuing chimney fire was also spectacular. It dispensed with the services of a sweep for a year or two.

Get the vapour/air mix just right and the results can be spectacular - I know so.

 

[tyred]

 Doesn't matter, it's still funny.  

 

[Globalti]

It's not the liquid that explodes but the vapour air mix.

Anyone try to cause an explosion by throwing an ignition source directly into a flammable liquid will invariably be disappointed. In some instances the ignition source will be extinguished e.g. with paraffin and diesel. Don't ask me how I know

However, hydrocarbon vapours can cause explosions of a low grade kind (a pressure wave and a dull thud as opposed to the as evidenced by the absence of the front part of my hair and a massive downfall of soot when I tried to re-light a coal fire by pouring some paraffin on the hot embers then throwing a match at them. The ensuing chimney fire was also spectacular. It dispensed with the services of a sweep for a year or two.

Get the vapour/air mix just right and the results can be spectacular - I know so.

Vern, ever seen a flammable dust explode? Fine saw dust will do it nicely; it's just as spectacular.

 

[darkstar]

Sounds like a comedy sketch.

 

[vernon]

Flour is pretty good too!

I used to do this routinely for kids as a science teacher before the Health and Safety nazis moved in.

 

[vernon]

Vern, ever seen a flammable dust explode? Fine saw dust will do it nicely; it's just as spectacular.

For a truly dramatic display, amorphous aluminium - finger print dust grade, takes some beating. I sometimes wonder if the depth of tan on my face was permanently altered by the back radiation

It was a very effective demonstration to cycnical pupils post Sir Galahad incident, that aluminum can burn and does so with great vigour given the right circumstances.

 

[Inertia]

I remember reading this in the book of heroic failures by Stephen Pile, Id recomend it to anyone if you can get hold of a copy, here is another one

THE VET WHO SURPRISED A COW
In the course of his duties in August 1977, a Dutch veterinary surgeon was required to treat an ailing cow. To investigate its internal gases he inserted a tube into that end of the animal not capable of facial expression and struck a match. The jet of flame set fire first to some bales of hay and then to the whole farm causing damage estimated at £45,000. The vet was later fined £140 for starting a fire in a manner surprising to the magistrates.

The cow escaped with shock.

 

[tyred]

I used to do this routinely for kids as a science teacher before the Health and Safety nazis moved in.

Setting fire to lumps of magnesium used to be my favourite in the science lab.