What is happening in Thermite that allows Aluminum and Iron Oxide to burn so hot? Also, how is aluminum and iron able to burn like that considering they are metals?
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“Fire” is just a chemical reaction, usually involving oxygen binding to something and giving off heat. Basically; oxygen likes grabbing on to other atoms, and will give of energy to do it, often in the form of heat. This heat can allow other oxygen to break off with whatever it is currently holding on to, and start holding on to something that grabs it more.
“Normal” fire is O2 breaking up and grabbing on to other things. This works really well because oxygen doesn’t really like holding on to another oxygen, and will very quickly grab on to something else. This means it doesn’t take a lot of energy to make it give up it’s current partner and grab something else.
Thermite uses oxygen that is holding on to iron; and aluminum. Aluminum really likes grabbing oxygen – more than even iron – but iron takes a lot of energy to give up it’s oxygen. However, once you start that process, one oxygen switching from holding on to iron to holding on to aluminum gives enough energy for more than one other oxygen to make the jump; which causes more and oxygen atoms to make the jump – fire.
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By the way, metals “Burn” all the time – that’s what rust is. Aluminum doesn’t rust through because it “anodizes” – has the aluminum oxide form a barrier keeping oxygen from getting inside the metal. Iron oxide doesn’t anodize, so iron rusts through.
“Fire” is just a chemical reaction, usually involving oxygen binding to something and giving off heat. Basically; oxygen likes grabbing on to other atoms, and will give of energy to do it, often in the form of heat. This heat can allow other oxygen to break off with whatever it is currently holding on to, and start holding on to something that grabs it more.
“Normal” fire is O2 breaking up and grabbing on to other things. This works really well because oxygen doesn’t really like holding on to another oxygen, and will very quickly grab on to something else. This means it doesn’t take a lot of energy to make it give up it’s current partner and grab something else.
Thermite uses oxygen that is holding on to iron; and aluminum. Aluminum really likes grabbing oxygen – more than even iron – but iron takes a lot of energy to give up it’s oxygen. However, once you start that process, one oxygen switching from holding on to iron to holding on to aluminum gives enough energy for more than one other oxygen to make the jump; which causes more and oxygen atoms to make the jump – fire.
…
By the way, metals “Burn” all the time – that’s what rust is. Aluminum doesn’t rust through because it “anodizes” – has the aluminum oxide form a barrier keeping oxygen from getting inside the metal. Iron oxide doesn’t anodize, so iron rusts through.
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