Date: December 3, 2009
Most things won't burn on Mars—after all, the main ingredient in the Martian atmosphere, carbon dioxide, is used in fire extinguishers on earth. So how would one create fire without oxygen? Use metal!This slow motion footage shows magnesium burning within a block of dry ice.
To begin the demonstration, Eric Muller adds magnesium powder into a hollow carved in two blocks of dry ice. He inserts a lit fuse made of magnesium ribbon. Placing the blocks together seals the magnesium from air. The magnesium burns inside the dry ice, producing a beautiful glow. When the fire is out, what remains is white magnesium oxide and black carbon.
This collection of individual programs tells a wide range of stories, reflecting the diverse interests of the Exploratorium community.
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| Miscellaneous - On the Move: Event (Clip) 3/13/2013 What a great day! We were in the Mission and Bayview districts and on the Embarcadero for a fr ... |
| Exploratorium at the Piers - Exploratorium at Pier 15: Green Machine (Clip) 2/6/2013 Catch a sneak peak of our new nine-acre campus at Piers 15/17 with Building Operations Man ... |
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| Miscellaneous - Exploratorium Opening at Pier 15: Emergence (Clip) 5/22/2013 As part of the festivities in honor of the Exploratorium's opening at Pier 15, Obscura Digital, ... |
| Miscellaneous - The Exploratorium: Now Open at Pier 15 (Clip) 5/13/2013 Homegrown, handmade and hands-on, there’s no place in the world like the Exploratorium. Now that we’ ... |
| Arts at the Exploratorium - Paul Clipson: Exploratorium Cinema Artist in Residence (Clip) 5/13/2013 The Exploratorium has commissioned San Francisco-based filmmaker Paul Clipson to ... |
| Science in the City - Electric Guitar (Clip) 5/8/2013 There’s no mistaking the distinct voice—whether throbbing, singing, or screaming—of an electric guit ... |
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