Thunderf00t

The Thors Hammer Experiment! (Patreon)

Published:

2015-10-13 09:26:23

Imported:

2026-06

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This is actually a really cool experiment. Turns out one of the biggest hazards in dealing with alkali metal demonstrations is the fact they behave erratically. This is a way of getting an controlled explosion out of the metal essentially at will. As such this experiment will become a core part of alkali metal demonstrations in school classrooms around the world for centuries to come..... and it all started here... and thanks to your support :-)

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The Thors Hammer experiment! -Potassium vs Ice

The Thors Hammer experiment! Getting alkali metals to explode reproducibly is hard.... and dangerous. This is a relatively safe way of getting an explosion out of potassium and ice. You get a smallish piece of potassium (~0.1-0.3g) and mount it on a needled (or wire) taped to a hammer.