- The barrel of the cannon is filled with O2, isooctane, and a tennis ball.
- Fire the cannon with the Tesla coil.
Chemical Concepts Demonstrated: Volatile solvents, relationship between heat and work
Demonstration:
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Observations:
The tennis ball comes flying out of the cannon with a tremendous noise
and speed. If this cannon is aimed at the far wall of the lecture hall (not
towards students), it can almost bounce off of the wall behind the
cannon after the ricochet. The tennis ball is capable of putting a dent in a wall
that it strikes directly.
Explanation:
The spark from the Tesla coil causes the volatile system to react. The isooctane quickly reacts with oxygen to form a huge amount of carbon dioxide. This reaction is accompanied by a large increase in heat. Between the additional gas volume and the additional heat, the pressure becomes so high so quickly that the cannon goes off.