Amazing Molybdenum

Previous wire video: • Exploding Wires
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Download unduloid microscope images and more here: / 28806306
Featuring Neil Barnes and Martyn Polikaoff. Film by Brady Haran.
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[@brmevans]

Neal in an undershirt is an element all in its own.

[@ethangoldsmith9332]

Rockhardium?

[@coreyschelke1962]

I went into the comment section just to find a comment about neal and wasnt disappointed.

[@Mynx31]

I can see him fighting bears in his youth.

[@1224chrisng]

After applying the principles of green chemistry, Peter reduced the amount of solvent needed to make 10 grams of Neil by 60 fold

[@fryncyaryorvjink2140]

I wasn't prepared for that level of manliness

[@clutchyfinger]

Neal is like one of those old, wise anime characters that takes off his robe when he has to meet a challenge and he's ripped, then literally picks up a car and throws it at his enemy.

[@sirdigalot1978]

he is a time travelling Saitama, living out his older years in Nottingham. he gets really angry when he misses a sale at the supermarket.

[@v0w1x2]

I think that he's a closet shearer.

[@kevincanavan2440]

King Boomi

[@marcmckenzie5110]

...and then sweeps up the glass so no one will be hurt. I'm a major fan of Neal.

[@nastyfyme]

Uncle Iroh 👴

[@themanohman7157]

In this video: Neil and Sir Martyn sucessfully reinvent the lightbulb

[@PinataOblongata]

Next up: Manganese!

[@wizlish]

@Klippy Klop What Edison is remembered for is not the incandescent bulb (which Faraday and Swan have clear priority on, among the many others) but the intentionally high-resistance bulb connected in ways that mimick contemporary commercial gas lighting. To my knowledge no one before him considered high resistance an advantage; the idea was to maximize light output for minimum amperage.

[@ynohdomi]

I'd be interested if the experiment would yield similar results if Chromium and Tungsten were tested.

[@Hopeless_and_Forlorn]

Also, and of equal importance, thin-film vapor deposition of metals.

[@bobvines00]

@@Hopeless_and_Forlorn I wonder how the "thin-film vapor deposition" that we saw will affect the vacuum chamber for future tests. Will that _adversely_ affect future tests (of any/all kinds)?

[@georgebritten8208]

I've been subbed to you guys since I started secondary school in 2008 over a decade ago! Now studying a degree in chemistry 👍

[@dario110011]

Same here! In my fourth year of a Chemistry degree thanks to these guys!

[@owenwhite1239]

Same here in my 2nd year right now

[@galvansaid100]

Nooooooo

[@galvansaid100]

U started in 2019 or 2018

[@connivingkhajiit]

I'm an EE major with a chemistry minor

[@glenngriffon8032]

It's always a good day when Neil is impressed by something.

[@mutualbeard]

I agree.

[@ewmegoolies]

you can tell he is smart by looking at his hair

[@confucheese]

Fun fact: Molybdenum is actually used in some novel enzymes in the human body. I believe we only have 4 enzymes which use it, and 3 of the four only use a single molybdenum atom. For context, we have approximately 1300 *known* distinct enzymes in total.

[@flyingskyward2153]

Do these enzymes have a similar role, or evolutionary history?

[@fukpoeslaw3613]

How many of those 1300 have metals? Which metals? Any with more than one metal? Which?

[@Yora21]

It's pretty important in plants. There's only about 15 elements that plants need, and it's one of them.

[@Chriva]

That's pretty Metal, man :D

[@EebstertheGreat]

@@flyingskyward2153 They are all oxidoreductases, which means they can take electrons from electron donors like hypotaurine and transfer them to electron receptors like NAD+, forming NADH and taurine (and also consuming water in this example). They are involved in the synthesis of just a few important molecules in humans, including taurine and tryptophan, as well as in the anabolism of xanthine. But in plants and especially bacteria, molybdenum enzymes are much more common. Various bacterial molybdenum oxidoreductases are involved in the synthesis of essential vitamins, like B₆. In addition to oxidoreductases, there is molybdenum nitrogenase, which is responsible for reducing molecular nitrogen in the air to ammonia that organisms can use. These "nitrogen-fixing bacteria" are essential to life and are the reason legumes, which harbor these bacteria, were sometimes planted in rotation to improve the quality of the soil. However, not all organisms contain molybdenum enzymes. _Saccharomyces cerevisiae ,_ the species of yeast used to bake bread and brew beer, does not seem to require molybdenum at all.

[@BriarHood]

I'm studying electron microscopy and I recreated this experiment! I have heated wires and they have beads. I looked at them briefly and there were trioxide crystals! I'll keep everyone posted!

[@beni2cc]

What did you discover?

[@eirikbrattsti]

he did infact, not keep anyone posted

[@kevinwhite9919]

FYI - you also annealed the moly wire as well as cleaned it of surface contaminates when you warmed it in vacuum. We used a similar setup to anneal (soften) and remove oxide from fairly thin Niobium wire, which we then used in a repurposed Al/Au wirebonder to electrically link a wafer-fabricated SQUID structure to a larger clamp interface for a sensor coil. The clamp interface and Niobium wire were superconducting at the experimental temps we were interested in (generally, less than 5mK). It ended up being an excellent platform with which to test SQUID operation and performance. In any event, if you need relatively clean and soft moly wire, or want to wirebond some IC structure using moly wire, you've re-invented the perfect way to prep it. You'll want to experiment with multiple cycles to get it truly soft (though it can't be too soft if you want it for wirebonding - it can break or get gummed up in the feed). As always, thanks for the videos!

[@k.c.sunshine1934]

Beginning: Let's do a fun experiment. End: Science demands proper follow-up. Very cool equipment! Thank you!

[@Derekzparty]

As Mythbusters once said; The difference between goofing off and science is writing it down!

[@jgedutis]

Molybdenum at a microscopic scale looks like a combination of snowflakes and flowers. Here is hoping for molybdenum fractal art.

[@stanbondarev9256]

This is typical eutectic structure but rare to be studied as an object of Mo-MoO2 phases.

[@philipp3877]

@@stanbondarev9256 how is this structure linked to an eutectic composition? (genuine interest)

[@Aetohatir]

It's a Molybdenum Oxide, not Molybdenum

[@Just_Sara]

Aetohatir Can we call it moxide? Please? Pretty please?

[@jgedutis]

@@Just_Sara Well... now I want some Moxie

[@Kumquat_Lord]

I love things like this. Science in its purest form, just a "huh, that's weird. I wonder what caused that" thought that leads to new discoveries.

[@tarheels100]

A beautiful example of how fruitful curiosity-driven research can be. It's refreshing in today's application-obsessed research environment.

[@Bobsry16]

💯 I love these videos! Release the chemical curiousity.

[@richardwheeler6115]

Fruitful? In what way?

[@richardwheeler6115]

Austin Spencer Fruitful? In what way?

[@tarheels100]

@@richardwheeler6115 Fruitful in the sense that it can lead to new discoveries with big impacts. Curiosity-driven research tends to be approached with a broader perspective and is more open to diverging towards opportunities as they arise. Application-focused research tends to have a narrower perspective, generally leading to small incremental improvements. Instead of "going with the flow" of where research leads you, you tend to arduously tunnel in the direction of the application.

[@mikeconnery4652]

I agree, sometimes taking an experiment past the point of your objective can bring astonishing results.

[@Snowmunkee]

Good gracious, remind me not to get into a fight with Neil. Dude is in better shape than i will ever be.

[@fensoxx]

Chuck Norris trains with Neil

[@Beer_Dad1975]

Neil even lifts bro.

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

That's because Neal got superpowers after an experiment gone awry, he got exeptionally strong but lost his vocal cords. Prof. Poliakov also mutated, his brainsize got twice as big, hidden by his haircut. It came with a 2000% increase in in cortex activity and his I.Q. tests are consistently 200 points which suggests it must be much higher.

[@carrynoweight]

He looks like a total badass, and that wink ant the end had me dying

[@calebengelbrecht7812]

Lol

[@miller4980]

I can't get enough. You guys are so fun to watch, and It's especially great because I feel rewarded after learning something so amazing! Thank you!

[@DFPercush]

10:08 He does speak! But we mortals are unworthy to hear.

[@devvynully]

I think Neil was on his day off building a doomsday device in his Bond villain lair when he was called in to help with the video but didn't have time to change.

[@unvergebeneid]

Wow, it's incredible what's possible these days. To get a spectrographic analysis of tiny parts of those electron microscope images... mind bending.

[@hassiaschbi]

Michael Nilson the lab I worked at while studying got a desktop REM in the size of a big PC Tower, could do all kinds of shenanigans, like using air to get electrons instead of needing a vakuum and metal coated surfaces, spectrographic analyses too! The damn thing did cost 800.000€ though 😬

[@phillrullzXBL]

Wonder if changing the frequency of the electricity will effect the spacing of the blobs, look like standing waves. Like an eletrical harmonic

[@zuthalsoraniz6764]

The wavelength of 50 Hz line AC is ~6000 km though, so these would be extremely high harmonics, where you don't have much difference between the 1000000th and 999999th harmonic.

[@kametrixomtikara8726]

I'd think the spacing comes from the surface tension of the liquid, similar to how water droplets also only come in one size.

[@Strothy2]

Probably it will switching to 120 Hz should look awesome

[@Guitar.Rookie]

I think changing the Oxygen amount in the Vacuum Chamber would actually Alter the Spacing. 🤔👍

[@stopstalkingyouspookybastard]

its dc not ac

[@aaronchristopher71]

Unduloid. My vote for “word of the year.”

[@Zelmel]

Did Niel get annoyed that his vacuum chamber is now lightly coated with molybdenum?

[@senaoutofspace]

I am asking myself the same question.

[@joeylawn36111]

I bet Neil knows how to clean it however.

[@laserowy_general]

Neil is a true legend. Motorcycle boots all day long. Prof Martyn. Neil let's do molybdenum experiments. Neil. Hold my 🍻

[@the_original_Bilb_Ono]

They would probably say "hold my pint" lol

[@750kv8]

@@the_original_Bilb_Ono - "Hold my Potassium."

[@elarr8733]

He doesn't always drink beer, but when he does, he prefers Dos Equis.

[@Magmafrost13]

As soon as you mentioned it might be oxide I was just waiting for you to do it in a vacuum chamber

[@Edge51]

The vapor trails coming off in streams looks pretty interesting in slow-mo as the wire oxidizes.

[@DonSjap]

Great video! Excellent to see some genuine research being done to get to the bottom of things! A small comment regarding the thin film (9:41) seen on the inside of the vacuum chamber window after the experiment: The molybdenum wire used in the video seems to have been stored under ambient conditions (i.e. no protective N2-atmosphere), so a small but significant amount of oxygen will have chemisorbed onto, and diffused into, the molybdenum surface even before the start of the experiment. Since no effort is made to remove oxygen/oxides in the molybdenum wire (e.g. by reduction with H2), the thin film residue left on the vacuum chamber window is most likely caused by sublimation of molybdenum oxide species on the surface of the wire, and not by evaporation of molybdenum metal as is suggested in the video. At normal pressure, MoO3 already starts sublimation at temperatures of 700 C, while molybdenum metal melts (but doesn't evaporates) at temperatures as high as 2600 C. Under vacuum MoOx sublimation followed by condensation on the vacuum chamber window is still a more likely cause of thin film formation than melting and evaporation of Mo metal. To verify the cause of the thin film formation, you can apply thermal reduction in H2 to the molybdenum wire prior to its exposure to high current in vacuum, and see if the inside of the vacuum chamber still gets covered by the same thin film residue. Next video? ;)

[@LiLi-or2gm]

Reminding me yet again just how much I love science (and the Periodic Videos team)!! Thanks for the new desktop background, too, Prof!

[@Obsidianfire]

If you measured the resistance of the wire and knowing the melting point of the oxide metals, you could calculate what wattage you'd need to create the droplets without actually melting the majority of the wire.

[@mikeconnery4652]

If an inner wire had a higher melting point it could maybe be more interesting.

[@KanishkaWijesekara]

Keep a flat substrate in direct line of sight with the wire and you're basically doing Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) of Molly. This thermal evaporation of a metal target is one of the most fundamental techniques of growing thin films that are several nanometers in thickness.

[@mikeconnery4652]

Ok thank you

[@johnopalko5223]

I wouldn't expect the frequency of the AC current to affect the spacing of the unduloids. The wavelength at 50 Hz is 6000 km.

[@TheGodpharma]

It would be if you're talking about the speed of light. However in this case I would have thought it would be the speed of sound in the wire that would be relevant.

[@NwoDispatcher]

Probably has more to do with the surface tension of the mo-oxide

[@ryanl.1085]

Ah yes, Molybdenum. Struggling to be pronounced since 1778.

[@Yora21]

In German, we just call it Molybdän. Considerably easier to pronounce, if you can pronounce Ä. ;)

[@Chriva]

@@Yora21 Å Ä Ö :D

[@MarkHobbes]

@@Yora21 In Portuguese it's Molibdênio. Pretty easy too.

[@jarls5890]

@@Yora21 Norwegian says "hold my oxide": Molybden

[@Chriva]

@@jarls5890 I expected nothing less from a neighbor lol

[@electronicsNmore]

Excellent video! Very cool images.

[@monika.alt197]

Indeed

[@ZomBeeNature]

I'm glad you did both follow-up experiments, plus showed the evaporated Molybdenum condensed to refract the light.

[@dathaniel9403]

One additional experiment I'd like to see performed is the heating of a molybdenum wire when horizontal and under tension. Since the wire expands when heated, it droops, and the pattern of the unduloids is made to be irregular. My prediction is that a light tension, perhaps by attaching small springs to the clips holding each side of the wire, would allow the wire to stay completely horizontal and result in pristine unduloids that may have an even greater beauty when viewed with an electron microscope.

[@NJ_Tube]

I greatly enjoy the usual Periodic Videos content, but it was particularly satisfying to see an update on a previous experiment.

[@wktodd]

exactly what we see on Moly wire elements in our vac furnaces :-) moly goes glass hard. your micrographs show nicely how moly wire is a sintered material.

[@docostler]

@Karl Papp Tell them kids to get their own dang blasted buzzword. Moly was moly long before it was Molly.

[@docostler]

@Karl Papp Yep, apparently.

[@alxdregomes]

0:23 right back at you mate

[@mardiray159]

The unduloids remind me of ‘waves on wires’ from basic physics. Think oscilloscopes, sine curves, slow motion photos of vibrating cello strings, etc. Maybe they are forming in the calm between nodes of vibration?

[@ThieflyChap]

Hmm, what about heating it in other gases, or in higher pressures?

[@dELTA13579111315]

I would love to see it done in higher pressure. Other gases might not change much from the vacuum test, depending on the gas. A lot of lightbulbs for example used to be made of tungsten wire in an atmosphere of argon to decrease the amount of corrosion on the wire

[@Chriva]

Neon, molybdenum light.. mcThing would be cool :)

[@SEELE-ONE]

Christian Ivarsson burned retinas incoming!

[@Chriva]

Life has taught me that dangerous stuff is fun stuff. :)

[@stanbondarev9256]

Particular pressure of oxygen is crucial both for liquid drops and for beautiful eutectic microstructure. More oxygen -- more liquid and more evaporation and the wire just burns out quicker. Less oxygen leads to less or now liquid -- no drops, no eutectic.

[@spencerarnot]

Remember everyone to keep comments respectful and to follow the Community Guidelines. Molybdenum tends to stir up some pretty intense emotions. Just try to keep it together. 😉

[@BothHands1]

lol no promises. I feel very strongly about Molybdenum, after all

[@spencerarnot]

@Danielle Spargo 😂

[@kellyjackson7889]

@@BothHands1 Yes after all it's METAL!! \m/(>

[@keirfarnum6811]

Spencer Arnot DAMN IT! ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MY FAVORITE ELEMENT NEGATIVELY?! I HATE YOU!!! 😂. 😉

[@Dracopol]

Molybdenum triggers me because only Greek has words putting b right next to a d, words like "abdomen" and such.

[@satoau1]

this is such a great example of how ideas are born. individually you would have had nothing, but together with each person throwing in their thoughts, those thoughts could combine and lead to new ideas. science, and any progress in general, comes from discussion and collaboration.

[@thesage1096]

10:24 that wink was all i needed.

[@phonotical]

Are you using alternating current to heat the wire? I wonder if a higher or lower frequency would change the appearance or regularity of the unduloids, or would direct current produce the same results. I'd also test it with a different source of wire

[@tetrabromobisphenol]

The wavelength of 50 Hz current is on the order of thousands of kilometers. The only way the frequency of the input current could have any effect on unduloid formation is if it was causing the wire to vibrate at the fundamental or at low harmonics. I've seen that happen when you have two conductors in close proximity. But in isolation, it should have negligible effect. Indeed, he controlled for this (and other effects) by doing the experiment in vacuum. So I highly doubt it would make much difference at all.

[@phonotical]

@@tetrabromobisphenol thousands of kilometers? Where did you get that from 🤣

[@pgtmr2713]

NERD FIGHT!!! No scratching, no biting, no breaking glasses where they can't be taped, keep it above the pocket protector and GO!

[@TillDerWilly]

@@phonotical speed of light divided by frequency?

[@phonotical]

@@TillDerWilly 50hz,50 times a second, if you can measure it on a scope, or head it audibly, change said frequency and observe for changes in pattern or frequency

[@gnarlyandy1]

I really enjoyed seeing the up close pictures with the electron microscope that gave us those coral reef like images. I hope you do more super close-up images in the future where it is applicable.

[@tayet6875]

I am so glad you did a follow-up on this episode. I had so many questions and thought up a few possible answers. This was really enlightening and the nanotech pictures are fantastic!!

[@iainburgess8577]

Fascinating , beautiful process & episode. That slow-mo footage was so cool. That mobybdenum light was beautiful, that hue looked like various forms of sunlight. I wonder what the emmited light spectrum was, and if it is actually even close to sunlight. Neil's giving serious rock-star vibes this episode.

[@droppedpasta]

At about 5:08 you can see the unduloids reciprocating. My guess is it’s caused by the frequency of your AC. Is the spacing related to AC frequency? Or voltage, or current?

[@prsplayer210]

Molybdenum is used in vacuum furnaces as heating elements for this reason.

[@verdatum]

Does it have benefits over tungsten? I would like to learn more.

[@mattfillmore6297]

I used to grow synthetic sapphire and we used moly for the heating element and the crucible.

[@PinataOblongata]

@Desmond Bagley It's also a street name for MDMA, so could cause shenanigans 😂

[@scottbiccum6977]

I am SO GRATEFUL for this video series! Its beyond simply being fascinating... Its very educational. THANK YOU for all the effort spent in creating these videos!

[@pomegranatechannel]

Thank you for uploading the images and PDF files. The SEM images are truly mesmerizing.

[@alephii]

0:08 that is a really appropriate outfit for a chemistry lab!

[@sauercrowder]

Neal can break his own rules if he wants to. Especially when the only hazards are a small piece of solid metal and electricity

[@fiallos1]

They need to do an extra episode on the properties of the professor’s hair.

[@123TeeMee]

You wouldn't want to run that much current through a hair though, would smell awful

[@czernm200]

Thank you! Amazing job! THANK YOU, for your time and everything needed to make this film. I appreciate it.

[@paultrappiel9943]

Thank you Sir Martyn for the follow up vid! Very informative and great pictures.

[@simonstergaard]

Try other frequences than 50 or 60 hz, see if the spacing changes...between the globs...in air

[@wahconah98]

But you won't know for sure until you test it!

[@SteveCooling60]

Also try DC when heating the wire in air

[@micahphilson]

Sadly missed opportunity to call this video *_"Magnificent Molybdenum"!_*

[@DRKRISKENNEDY]

Fantastic videos. Love the history of the element presented, the questions leading the experiment, and the wonderfully idiosyncratic personalities of each of you 🤗

[@learnmyname123]

It would be fun to coil the wire like an incandescent bulb's wire, and see how bright it is at a given wattage and compare that to copper or tungsten or other "common" metals. Maybe this would make a great special usage lightbulb.

[@runefjord8446]

next video : "so we've put the wire in as a target for this particle accelerator..."

[@ThePrimevalVoid]

i mean, very technically speaking, an electron microscope is a particle accelerator

[@wvdh]

They are actually starting to do this. You can produce Technetium-99m with cyclotrons by irradiating Molybdenum (Mo-100 enriched molybdenum, more precisely, with a (p,2n) nuclear reaction). The Technetium-99m can than be used in nuclear medicine.

[@ComiXDude]

Are you using AC, or DC? i wonder if changing the frequency of the Current will change the spacing of the Moly unduloid

[@movax20h]

They are using AC, 50Hz. On previous video they did suggest it might be related to the use of AC, vs DC. But I think it is not. Still I would really love to see them test different frequency or DC.

[@abcdefgh-db1to]

I don't think it will change much, the spacing is only due to the surface tension of the liquid molybdenum oxyde and should remain unaffected by the magnetic fields because it's probably non-conductive.

[@chris-graham]

looks like AC varying voltage via variac

[@EtherDais]

@@abcdefgh-db1to You, I like your brainwaves.

[@abcdefgh-db1to]

@@EebstertheGreat not molybdenum oxide

[@notavailable8130]

This is my favorite family of channels on KZbin. Periodic is my favorite favorite.. you are all amazing please never stop.

[@joshuarosen6242]

This was another excellent and stimulating video. Periodic Videos is one of my three favourite KZbin channels - you never fail to entertain and inform.

[@TranceH3ad]

So what are these structures on the surface of unduloids? They vaguely resemble patterns formed by a ferrofluid in a magnetic field.

[@harrodharrod5239]

Neil needs more mic time!!!

[@metametodo]

This is amazing. Beautiful. I honestly got emotional over the scientific content here, the inquiry from the comments, the proof test of the liquid, imaging, the theory, hypothesis and confirmation. I've heard many times about the scientific method, and I know it's used over the world in many scientific experiments, but I really love to actually happen to watch this process happening spontaneously in my front, imagining your own reactions and sense of awe. It's weird how my eyes are actually moist right now. Thanks to you all.

[@melody3741]

To be honest i have always been afraid of getting old but this guy is out here making a new freaking discovery at like 80, and seriously that helps me so much you have no idea.

[@edgeeffect]

0:23 Neil's wink!!! I was wondering about oxide with all of that smoke. And I know it's against lab-safety common sense... but I'd love to know what that smoke smells like.

[@Purwapada]

. the molybdenum oxide in the pictures looks like it would be a great substrate for a reaction

[@pmgrafael]

One of the most beautiful videos that I've seen on KZbin since I subscribed to the platform (~10 years or more). THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[@TheHDTheater]

I'm really glad you guys did a follow up video on the wires videos. More awesome content of course, but great to see you interact with the viewers in that sense; it was a really nice touch. Helps keep my mind stimulated after college; definitely makes me miss being surrounded by scientific minds! Thanks again.

[@jeppefregerslevlundgaard7443]

Why do metals glow brighter in a vacuum? Is it because there is no oxide layers on the outside blocking the light?

[@elevown]

Maybe- or because a vacuum is a great insulator and the wire isn't shedding heat into the surrounding air, it gets hotter?

[@Chriva]

I think it's more a matter of how much power can be put into the wire without it burning up.

[@prsplayer210]

Molybdenum in a vacuum can be used as heating elements,many industrial vaccum furnaces use it

[@root42]

Christian Ivarsson you're spot on. You can heat them much higher than with oxygen rich atmosphere. That's why incandescent lights are also filled with nobel gases or other inert gases, but not oxygen.

[@stanbondarev9256]

No, it because in vacuum or inert gas Mo can be heated up to almost melting temperature which is much higher than temperature of evaporating of forming in air molybdenum oxides. So you can force Mo to grow very bright if you heat it very fast -- faster than it will be thoroughly burned. The same is also applied for W as well and Nb less.

[@Shadow77999]

0:20 someone make that man into a meme

[@lsporter88]

Fascinating. Videos like this one really gets the mind going. Many concepts are introduced and illustrated in a short span of time. What a great way to teach Physics and Chemistry. Thank you for your commentary Professor. Superb presentation.

[@davidk8184]

Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff has such a remarkable way of taking a rather boring subject and making it extraordinarily fascinating. Thank you, sir!

[@Leukodystrophy]

Anyone else thought the thumbnail was an ice cream cone? Just me? Ok.

[@owenmerrick2377]

Let's hear it for surface tension in fluid streams: keeping you moderately safe while peeing on live elevated-train rails, for 150 years.

[@bentboybbz]

Honestly when i hear him i turn my volume up to max because he either does or watches it being done and shows what happens in their environment talks about the important information and records it well.

[@panther105]

We love Niel......!!! Who else in the whole world can make a little blob at the end of a wire be fascinating.....

[@bpark10001]

Tungsten should do the same thing as WO3 also has a lower melting point then the parent metal. Will chromium also do this?

[@NwoDispatcher]

Pure chromium probably is too brittle to make into a wire

[@Widnezz]

Does anyone know why there hasnt been a new video in a while? hope everyone is ok.

[@manudehanoi]

covid ?

[@Widnezz]

@@manudehanoi do you see what date I made this comment? Covid wasn't a thing 0 months ago

[@manudehanoi]

@@Widnezz you are right, sorry I tought this was a new video

[@bobthompson4319]

This is definitely one of the coolest video. Because you get to really hear the professor's thought process in an experiment hes not done before. AWESOME.

[@luthmhor]

Really cool set of experiments, thanks for sharing!

[@ItsAllGoodGames]

When Agent 47 retired, he moved into a university and changed his name to Neil.

[@seouljah760]

What motorcycle does the Stig ride? I see those boots, Neil.

[@stevewallace853]

Honda C90...big bored

[@seouljah760]

@@stevewallace853 lol foreal?

[@stevewallace853]

@@seouljah760 I have no idea, it would just be funny to see him on one 🤣

[@TheDejakal]

These are such awesome results!!

[@kevinhanley3023]

Thanks to everyone involved with this one. Really enjoyed seeing unconstrained curiosity! The images were very cool.

[@TheWildNest]

"How about some organic chemstry?" how about no.

[@VA7SL]

Not a video about Molly

[@AkashBG]

Great video, very well explained as usual!

[@ThingEngineer]

Wow, I never would’ve guessed surface tension causing the artifacts, brilliant. My initial hypothesis was magnetic forces in the wire holding the liquid metal in place. But even if molybdenum’s magnetic susceptibility we’re high enough to cause this effect, I would hazard a guess that it was above its Curie temperature while in the liquid state.

[@rserton]

I wonder if Thomas Edison tried using molybdenum as a filament in his light bulb experimentation.

[@Purpleturtlehurtler]

You mean: "I wonder if Thomas Edison's workshop employees, who actually did the work, used molybdenum in their lightbulb experimentation."

[@vylbird8014]

Probably. He brute-forced it - had his workshop team run through every filament material they could think of in the hope that they would stumble upon one that worked. Mostly they looked at different methods of manufacturing carbon filaments, but molybdenum was already in use for heating elements at the time so it would be a natural choice for testing, along with tungsten.

[@DarkShroom]

@@vylbird8014 that's how all science is done.... you go through all the metals and try to see which works best

[@vylbird8014]

@@DarkShroom Edison's big innovation was this use of systematic experimentation and an organised industrial workshop. In a sense he invented the modern R&D laboratory. But he also cultivated the image of himself as the lone genius inventor who single-handedly created hundreds of revolutionary products, because it was a great marketing ploy.

[@Karabetter]

OK stop ... Maybe much of the metal that would have liquefied, sublimated away under the low pressure and went out the vacuum pump. Sooo ... You should run the test at atmospheric pressure, same as the original, but in inert argon gas. (Same idea as welding in argon to keep from forming oxides.)

[@Karabetter]

Graham Stewart Sometimes when a lab is filled with expensive equipment (like variable pressure chambers) the less expensive options get overlooked ;) .

[@Karabetter]

One additional reason to use an inert (argon) gas: Because it only changes ONE variable and directly addresses the theory of oxidation. I feel a vacuum in itself can cause huge physical behavioral changes. And this suggestion is cheap, don't need to build a particle accelerator for it. ;)

[@ScottTilYouDrop]

Love Neil's arc reactor! Great episode and investigation love this style

[@TheShivABC]

You can increase or decrease the spacing and size of the unduloids by increasing or decreasing the frequency of the power source, if you read that as a space in time those unduloids are repeating at 50hz, also try it with Direct Current and see a totally different result!

[@AxcelleratorT]

I CALLED IT!!! Molybdenum trioxide! Go back and see my comment on the original video!

[@adamkeist5817]

It's been like a minute and only 3 views? Wow...

[@taylorherald9225]

it would be interesting to see different metal wires heated in the vacuum chamber and test the amount of light they produce before they melt

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Great video! Fusing of wires is of great importance in Electrical Engineering. The undulates can be seen in blown fuses, and also in illustrations of "fuse fatigue", a phenomenon whose existence is even denied in some quarters. Fuse parameters include pre-melting and fusing integrals. Both have units of A2s (Amp squared seconds; A2s times Ohms makes Joules). The idea of fuse fatigue is a fuse stressed often enough will eventually blow. That is, the fusing integral decreases with every stress event. There is little dependable data, but much anecdotal evidence. I had an amp that ran for 15 years being switched on almost every day, then one day the fuse blew. I replaced it with the same type fuse, it worked again (it was inrush current, which has a semi-random element).

[@mikeconnery4652]

Love the music. Also, the droplets may have surface tension that would make them form into droplets. They also say that electricity travels on the outside of the wire, so the heat could be higher on the outside. Absolutely excellent video.

[@Wiejeben]

Thanks for the follow up, really interesting and inspirational!

[@mrWertyuiop111]

I appreciate the follow up video it is a fascinating phenomena

[@Xirpzy]

Amazing experiments. Incredible pictures as well!