TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Over the summer, a grain elevator outside of Cincinnati was caught on video as it exploded. But how could the grain explode out of no where?
Max Tsaparis reached out to FSU chemistry professor Dr. Mark Kearley and his lab assistant Chris Brewer to give us the answer by simulating the explosion using a substance called "lycopodium powder."
The substance looks like a salt or sugar in a kitchen and it is very flammable when exposed to lots of air.
According to Brewer, you can inch the flame towards it and it just chars, but if you increase the surface area with the flame by dusting it over the fire, you now get a column of fire. This happens because the flame can touch all sides of the lycopodium powder particles.
In a grain elevator, sparks can easily occur since the grain is constantly being moved around and processed so if wind blew through the elevator making some grain dust airborne while a spark was igniting, that is when an explosion would happen.
Dr. Kearley and Mr. Brewer gave us a demonstration which you can see by watching the video to the left.
For more fun Tscience, tune into Tsaparis Tscience every Wednesday morning on WTXL's Sunrise.
