Australia's Science Forum

Clamped gas syringe connected to a clamped side-arm test tube with stopper. Reaction of 2M HCl and magnesium ribbon, measuring the amount of gas released when varying the amount of Mg. Teacher decides to do a pop test with around 60mL of H2 in the syringe. Syringe plunger is propelled at great speed into a wall, showering kids, me, student teacher and her supervisor in shards of glass. Imagine if there had been someone standing in front of that wall... Note to self - no pop tests with the gas syringes. And it was only the second time we'd ever used them!

Oh my goodness!!! Are you all ok? That would have been such a fright! I hope the teacher and student teacher stuck around and helped with the clean up. So lucky no one was in the way of the plunger!

Yes all ok, luckily. One kid had a bit of glass in his leg but it was pretty minor compared to how it could have been. The teacher was horrified and did most of the clean-up himself!

OMG !!!!! yes would never do a pop test with a gas syringe. Ours are used in the holders where they physically can't expel the plungers out all the way... for good reason as you've shown hey !!

Yeah we had them in those clamps meant to stop the plunger coming out - the explosion bent the clamp! It was seriously full on.

Marama T wrote: ↑14 Aug 2023, 11:58 Yeah we had them in those clamps meant to stop the plunger coming out - the explosion bent the clamp! It was seriously full on.

OMG !!

Totally. It was insane. Upside - no one got badly hurt and the kids love a good explosion. Downside - we were all shocked and went home thanking the gods of science for their mercy.

Marama T wrote: ↑14 Aug 2023, 12:20 Totally. It was insane. Upside - no one got badly hurt and the kids love a good explosion. Downside - we were all shocked and went home thanking the gods of science for their mercy.

Yep we all love an explosion. But we will give this one a miss.