Does mercury fulminate explode?
Fulminated mercury [Hg(CNO)2] is indeed an explosive, classically used as a trigger in blasting caps used to set off larger explosives.
Why is mercury fulminate so unstable?
This weak single bond between the N and O atoms is what makes fulminated mercury unstable and explosive.
Is mercury fulminate a primary explosive?
Mercury fulminate was the first widely used primary explosive, from about 1864 onwards, but it was largely replaced by lead azide in the 1940s (Miles 1955). Lead azide was found to detonate more reliably and to have better thermal stability, and is still in use today.
Is mercury fulminate detonator?
Mercury fulminate is very sensitive to shock, friction, and sparks. It explosively decomposes to form mercury, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen. This explosive power was used extensively: Alfred Nobel put mercury fulminate into blasting caps for detonating dynamite.
Can you crystalize mercury fulminate?
Mercury(II) fulminate is prepared by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and adding ethanol to the solution. It was first prepared by Edward Charles Howard in 1800. The crystal structure of this compound was determined only in 2007.
What did Tuco give Walt fake money?
Tuco agrees to the payment as well as agreeing to a purchase for the next week, offering Walter $35,000 for the next pound of meth. Walt demands instead that Tuco buy two pounds of meth a week for $70,000. Tuco, incredulous, agrees. Once back in his car, Walt exhibits an intense rush from what he has just done.
How do you make mercury fulminate?
What did Walter White throw at Tuco?
Tuco starts to get nasty but Walt has a plan. The bag of meth crystals he has just given Tuco were in fact “fulminate of mercury”. He throws a crystal on the ground which detonates, creating an almighty explosion. We see Walt walking victoriously from the smoking remains, clutching his bag of money.
Why does fulminated mercury explode?
Fulminated mercury has the molecular formula Hg(CNO)2. It is a white power that explodes with the formation of mercury vapors in response to impact, friction, or heat. The explosive effects of mixtures of alcohol, nitrates, silver, and mercury were known even back in the days of the alchemists.