Carolina Chemonstrations®: Dust Explosion Kit

Demonstrate the effect of surface area on reaction rate with this fiery kit. Students observe that a pile of powder exposed to a flame hardly burns, but that the same quantity of powder dispersed in air and exposed to a flame ignites instantly. Students also observe that dispersing a particulate makes it not only flammable but potentially explosive if ignition occurs in an enclosed area. This demonstration requires approximately 20 min, and materials are sufficient for countless demonstrations.