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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: ScienceBruh on July 20, 2015, 09:40:06 PM

Title: Why did this reaction occur?
Post by: ScienceBruh on July 20, 2015, 09:40:06 PM

So I was in my lab, and I was burning powders to see if/how they tinted the flame. It was very cool.  <- The fire was warm though...  Any ways i started mixing powders. Not my brightest moment. So I mixed ammonium chloride and Copper sulfate.  It burned THROUGH a sheet of aluminum foil. IDK if it dissolved it or burned through it, but I have no clue what just happened.  I figured Y'all could help.  Did anyone else have this happen when/if they try?  If you know why can you reply the chemical equation of what exactly happened/if it made a corrosive substance or just got extremely hot... Thanks

Title: Re: Why did this reaction occur?
Post by: Enthalpy on July 21, 2015, 04:03:00 AM

Aluminium foil burns easily, for being aluminium (burns) and thin (easy to heat). If you put a flame at it, with a decent amount of oxygen, it's the normal fate.

Title: Re: Why did this reaction occur?
Post by: ScienceBruh on July 21, 2015, 01:18:47 PM

The foil was not burning the last times. i did 8 or 10 burns on one sheet but for some reason even in a new sheet the mixed powder was burning hotter and making the flame incredibly green

Title: Re: Why did this reaction occur?
Post by: Arkcon on July 21, 2015, 08:13:17 PM

Look up some of the properties of ammonium chloride, and maybe try it out on the foil by itself.  IIRC, its actually a pretty corrosive reagent.