• Question: have you ever made anything blow up big time?

    Asked by billybob to Vicki on 15 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Vicki Onions

      Vicki Onions answered on 15 Jun 2010:

      hmmmm, not big time no, thankfully (my health and safety officer would have my guts for garters).
      Some of my work involves having to prepare acids at different concentrations, and therefore dilute some down. When you add water to acids, this is an exothermic reaction, i.e. heat is given off…in large amounts. So you have to be careful with some acids when doing this. Anyway…my work involves sulphuric acid which can give off lots of heat so you have to pack the volumetric flask in lots of ice to keep the temperature cool – however this doesn’t always work and those flasks shatter with an almighty noise 🙁

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