At 03:03 AM 5/31/02 -0400, you wrote:
>
> There are many things one can do with a non-functioning Next Cube. The
>following URL was generated by someone who, a) apparently has found the
>most obsessive ultimate activity, and, b) has way, way, way too much time
>on his mind. IMHO, anyway...
>
>
>
> http://simson.net/photos/hacks/cubefire.html
>
>
> Ya jus' cain't make this-here shit up, I'm a-tellin ya!
Jeeeezzz! Unbelievable. I'm sure as hell glad that I don't live in the People's republic of Kalifarnia anymore! I've obtained and burned dozens of pounds of magnesium sheets (plates out of torpedo batteries). We just light them up in my front yard or where ever we happen to be. No questions, no permits, no hassles even the neighbors enjoy the show.
My experience with burning magnesium is the same as what they experienced, the magnesium will melt first and then ignite. I small piece will usually hold it shape to some degree but large pieces will melt and run into a puddle before they ignite. The picture in the article doesn't even come close to looking like a magnesium fire! It's a BRILLANT white light. It's brighter and whiter than a welding arc or even the sun. I seriously doubt that they could successfully take a picture of it.
But if you really want to see something spectaculor, pour a little water onto the burning magnesium! Not many people realize that burning magnesium will take the oxygen out of water or even CO2 so instead of putting out the flame both will act as oxidizers!
FWIW burning magnesium doesn't only produce magnesium oxide (aka mild of magnesia) it also reacts with nitrogen and forms magnesium nitride. If you later pour water on the ash containing magnesium nitride it will react with it and release ammonia gas.
Joe
>
>
> Cheers
>
>John
>
>
Received on Sat Jun 01 2002 - 11:29:29 BST