CHED 503 |
| The Whoosh Bottle is a popular demonstration for all areas of chemistry that combines a very impressive visual and audible effect, and provides a springboard for further discussions in many topics in chemistry. Much has been written on the safety aspects of container integrity. Recent accidents bear out the guidelines published on the performance of the demonstration, including that isopropanol be used as the fuel, since it has a lower energy content and burns more slowly than methanol or ethanol. Very little attention has been paid to the contents, however. Our work has established that a considerable variety of compounds are produced at significant levels from the isopropanol in the energetic flame of this experiment. More than half of them are considered carcinogenic or likely carcinogens. This presentation will address those results and the implications for safely performing the demonstration with minimal risk to the audience or the presenter. |
|
General Papers
8:00 AM-11:45 AM, Thursday, 14 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 10, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |