Hydrogen Explosions (slow motion) - Periodic Table of Videos

High-speed footage of Hydrogen explosions, with and without Oxygen added to the initial mixture. MORE SLOW MOTION VIDEOS HERE: bit.ly/chemslomo
Professor Martyn Poliakoff discusses, - and muses over questions about our previous hydrogen videos.
Watch videos about EVERY element: bit.ly/VT9nNZ
Reactions filmed with a Phantom Miro. We used this: www.visionresea...
Special thanks to Destin from Smarter Every Day for helping us out: / smartereveryday
Music courtesy of Rob Webster (Traxscape)
More chemistry at www.periodicvid...
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And on Twitter at / periodicvideos
From the School of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham: www.nottingham....
Periodic Videos films are by video journalist Brady Haran: www.bradyharan....
Brady's other channels include:
/ sixtysymbols (Physics and astronomy)
/ numberphile (Numbers and maths)
/ deepskyvideos (Space stuff)
/ nottinghamscience (Science and behind the scenes)
/ foodskey (Food science)
/ backstagescience (Big science facilities)
/ favscientist (Favourite scientists)
/ bibledex (Academic look at the Bible)
/ wordsoftheworld (Modern language and culture)
/ philosophyfile (Philosophy stuff)

[@lanswipe]

"and they're left in the middle feeling a bit stupid because the house has gone" That's the best thing ever.

[@kigozimuhammad]

lanswipe I have watched several of his videos and professor really knows how to throw shade on people or things really quick . His minutely savage

[@ITACHI-ov1nn]

Can you tell me how hydrogen can be stored

[@caesarcch3879]

I came to the comment section just to say that. Oh man I laughed so hard xD

[@sanjamilosevic927]

ROFL >D

[@prdoyle]

Came here to say the same thing. 😂

[@S4R1N]

As much as I love the science of it all, I can't get passed how gorgeous the H only balloon explosion was.

[@Nexus2Eden]

You make me proud to be a Chemical Engineer, Professor. Your humility humbles me.

[@benhague9579]

I have a hypothesis as to why the flame is red. On the inside of a balloon there is a fine powder to prevent the balloon from sticking and tearing when inflated so as the balloon pops it would be thrown into the flame and possibly burning tremendously quickly thus causing the red flame.

[@lsrasr]

i think that fine powder might just be latex buddy

[@CatatonicImperfect]

that's been my hypothesis as well. could be corn starch, talcum... what would burn red?

[@smartereveryday]

In the future feel free to leave people like this on Brady's Channel.

[@1.4142]

1 like? hi destin!

[@blackdeathghostye6654]

@@1.4142 almost jumped in happiness when seeing destin

[@smartereveryday]

It's like Where in the World is Carmen San Diego with that guy. Who knows where he'll pop up next!

[@1.4142]

ayyyy

[@noelmathew157]

Why this doesn't have a lot of views....I'll never know!

[@marcelzatko9105]

Chemistry is so amazing teaching you how all these substances interact with each other. Fascinating really.

[@LowYummy]

Marcel Zatko it is dangerous. Like mixing Hydrogen and Oxygen to make Water... it is..... Explosive

[@ActualGenius]

You can tell a smarter person from a less knowledgeable person by their willingness to be proved wrong.

[@prakharlondhe3876]

that's amazingly true :D

[@CrazyFunnyCats]

Damn straight!👍😉

[@CrazyFunnyCats]

We are geniuses from learning from billions of mistakes 👽👽👽 7.62 billion 😉

[@CrazyFunnyCats]

We are geniuses from learning from billions of mistakes 👽👽👽 7.62 billion 😉

[@avada0]

It's actually 100% independent. It just shows how much pride they have. (I've seen this BS claim many times. It feels like just some humbleness-philia)

[@Popsomechicken]

"What happened?" "I lit a match and then my house was gone."

[@CursedJoker]

I think there is room for an entire channel for video of this kind. One chemical or physical phenomena explained in detail with the help of the high speed camera.

[@elvis633]

I love the professor, i wish he was my grandpa so i had someone interesting to talk to.

[@Duncan_Idaho_Potato]

I really like Professor Poliakoff. Not only is he a good scientist, a consummate science communicator, he also seems to be a kind, warmhearted human being. I aspire to be all of those things, but especially the last one. You're a role model, Martyn. Please never change.

[@smartereveryday]

I must have tainted it when I caressed it in the last video. Sorry about that.

[@ishan4363]

hey a great fan of yours, saw you at veritasium

[@frizzloko]

It is so moving to see someone so informed and educated in any topic getting that exited about being wrong. He is truly an awesome dude!

[@brfisher1123]

I love high speed camera shots; they reveal things you normally don't notice.

[@mundotaku_org]

This channel deserves more viewers.

[@HellzGamerZone]

" HAHAHAHAHA I LIKE YOU NEAL" made me laugh

[@tommos1]

i was going thru withdraw symptoms during christmas. finally a new video.

[@jassahib]

Thinking about the Martian bought me here.

[@DynamixWarePro]

This is great stuff, with technologies like this, you can learn so much that before you couldn't. High speed, not only amazing to watch recorded footage from, but you learn so much. If I ever come into a lot of money, I'll have to get myself a high speed camera!

[@pranab0343]

looks like sun

[@hdsf1066]

Cuz the sun is made of hydrogen ( a hydrogen core)

[@Hysteria98]

The fact I subscribed to Vsauce, SlowMoGuys, BradyHaran and SmarterEveryDay around the space of a month (and not even from recommendation, just coincidence), and then I find in my inbox, collaborations between the 4 just blows my mind like i'm a kid watching a cartoon crossover again. So much respect out to all these people :]

[@nyxato7649]

I LIK SEINCE

[@ShiroKage009]

The best explosion I saw in slow motion, in terms of showing some of the thermodynamics involved in combustion, was captured by Mythbusters in their "Exploding lighter" episode. It shows a delay between the release of the propane and the start of the ignition. The best part was when the initial flame, which was the lighter lit before being struck with a golf club, went out during that period and then the reaction started from roughly the same location the flame was in.

[@flashzee]

i like every clip that you upload. always wanting to gain more knowledge in every thing

[@AlucardNoir]

exceptional video brady, congrats to you, niel, the prof and paul

[@saintron60]

I love this channel. Had I known they were going to do this experiment I would have advised them to use HHO as I have done when using my water splitter. You get a perfect match on the hydroxy combo. The reason the gas ignites before the balloon appears to explode is illusion caused by the fact that in a mini second after ignition. The gas has expanded and is already in the process of collapsing and turning back into water by the time the balloon pops.

[@laserfloyd]

The beauty of science; when you have an idea about something and it can be changed based on an observation. This was a brilliant video and warranted a verbal "wow" when I saw the second balloon react that way. Keep it up!

[@xenocideac]

I really wish more comments on youtube were like this one. I completely agree with you Iceus

[@danielmadar9938]

Thank you for your humility

[@xanshriekal]

This is amazing. I never realized that the balloon pops before the gas ignited, or the huge difference in speed between the hydrogen balloon and the hydroxygen balloon.

[@CaptTerrific]

I love how beautifully simple the letter-writer's experiment was :)

[@danial367]

This was amazing! I can't wait for future videos. They are definitely going to be the best videos you have ever done and you deserve all the success that is sure to follow!

[@gutspraygore]

"...and they're left in the middle feeling a bit stupid because the house is gone." The image this statement created in my head made me burst in laughter. yes, indeed. I suppose there would be cause for embarrassment. Thanks for the video. The hydrogen igniting is gorgeous.

[@BarbaricBeats]

The tie is phenomenal!

[@fastphys]

one of my favorite periodic videos yet! Fascinating!

[@jimsvideos7201]

The mixed-gas balloons would make interesting light sources for portrait photography of particularly steady-nerved subjects.

[@jevicci]

Wow. That bit about the explosions separating and people surviving in the middle blew me away (no pun intended).

[@mcvoid1]

I think with this video the channel has gone from presenting science to doing science, where the making of the video itself has lead to an increase in knowledge.

[@Nimbus3690]

amazing. ppl like this and paul (is it, the emailer?) move the world

[@bendup5590]

I don't always like videos, but when I do I'm liking periodicvideos

[@jiberish001]

Thank you. I was not thinking about searches. I almost never 'search' for videos on KZbin. Some times I overlook the feature entirely.

[@Sarjsh]

The thumbnail is the single most epic picture ever!

[@Chaos3131]

Excellent answer, I don't think anyone could top that.

[@jessiebullock]

This has to be one of your best videos. Great job guys. So cool. So much to be learned!

[@Suro_One]

This man right here. He's a genius. Takes criticism seriously, studies it and even gives a formal reaction to the critic. This is the true essence of science and technology.

[@simonnance]

surely to ensure all hydrogen is consumed before it can be heated and produce a yellow flame, an excess of oxygen is needed. I'd love to see a slow-mo of a balloon with equal parts hydrogen and oxygen. Used this demo today to teach stoichiometry and balancing equations, great stuff!

[@endimion17]

Ignition of saturated fuel such as a pressured blob of gas is a perfect example of chaotic system and fluid dynamics. It's the sudden directed movement of the gas that's important, not the fact it's glowing or the fact it's hydrogen and oxygen reacting. Blowing into gas causes vortices, pulling a paddle through water causes vortices.

[@greenfuelbooster]

Great! This explains a lot why my honda civic feels like high octane gasoline when i injected HHO to the air intake when using regular gasoline. Thanks for this video!

[@ChaitanyaShukla2503]

excellent video. would love to see some more of these videos shot by high speed camera.

[@Validole]

I've done this (H2 plus O2 ~2:1) for a physics day finisher with a 300 L thrashbag. Although yeah, I used a remote model rocket igniter with 30 m cable... It really makes a bang, even though I measured the gases basically by eye.

[@UnknownDeletedUser]

You all make chemistry exciting

[@sidmarklong]

Q. What is the difference between a bunsen burner, and a balloon while burning hydrogen? Next Q. Is the atmospheric content of the room you are doing this in, higher in nitrogen/carbon-monoxide/oxygen etc? There is some sort of reaction occurring. It may just be the fast occurrence of combustion while sudden exposure from the match flame breaching the membrane, aka, balloon skin, to the natural atmosphere and unregulated mixture.

[@endimion17]

Stoichiometric mixtures, if intimately mixed (gases are always like that) give the fastest reactions because the right molecules are at the right places in a given point in time. 2 H2 + O2 -> 2 H2O If you increase the quantity of one reactant, there'll be a surplus which dillutes the mixture and slows down the progression of the reaction. That's especially visible with reactions that burn.

[@SchumiUCD]

Fantastic video, one of your best Brady.

[@danniboi07]

This is my favorite side effect of having studied sciences in school: the ability to admit you're wrong and grow from it. If you're proven to be wrong, that's great, because more truth is brought to the world! There'd be a lot less fighting in the world if we could get our egos out of the way and be willing to look at evidence to come to conclusions and agreements.

[@rcdude29]

Destinw + periodicvideos = awesome!!!!

[@eldizo_]

Oh man, I'm so ready for all these slow motion vids.

[@cowpiefa11y]

THIS MAN is the face of science for me for ever now

[@Mr2Tuff2]

They're in there. I see two tiny white dots @ 3:39 I have to put the camera less than a foot away from the detonation to see them that well. Also the relative humidity in the room makes a big difference, when R/H is above 90% I don't get any sparks. anything below 65% works good. Peace :)

[@fallingwater]

"It's always good for a scientist to be proved wrong". Spoken like a true scientist! I only wish more people thought this way and didn't take it as an insult when they're presented proof against their position.

[@megoesmo0]

Basicly as you heat a material up, first it gives of red light. When you heat it up more, it still gives of red light but also light with higher energies. These different wavelengths all combine together and we only see a single color. When you watch a bright white light (like a light bulp) through a prism you can see that there is green light mixed in. The combination makes us see only white. Burning boric acid in methanole gives a green flame and you can say you have 'green hot'.

[@wolja]

Great demonstration of the scientific process. Can't wait to see the rest.

[@Robotoda2000]

Thank you for your videos! I share them on my blog all the time!

[@antonc81]

2:30 - "It's always good for a scientist to be proved wrong". Well said, Professor. So many seemingly intelligent people fail to grasp this about the scientific method.

[@81mrsmitty]

For those wondering why H2 gas looks red when it burns when you probably always heard that it burns colourless. I worked at an oil refinery and we produced pure H2 gas for hydrocracking heavy oil into light oil. If we had an excess of hydrogen and needed to flare it off during the day, the flare colour would be nearly colourless, but if we flared it at night it was a pale red colour. I believe that the colour is such a pale red typically in daylight you may not see the red colour to the flame

[@endimion17]

One more thought. The dust in the balloon is usually cornstarch. When the ballon skin snapps, cornstarch aerosol would be flying everywhere through the hydrogen. Burning cornstarch aerosol has an incadescent carbon phase. If you really want to know what's the source of the color, use a spectrometer. If it gives off full spectrum, it's incadescent carbon. H2, O2 and H2O can not give off this kind of light.

[@astronomizack]

"and they're left feeling a bit stupid because the house is gone" The smile he gives always makes me laugh when he tells a joke

[@StevenAlpert]

Wow, i feel much informed, despite only doing this experiment twice myself in the past.

[@CaptainsneakyMk5]

This man is so humble it is really inspiring.

[@TheSage555]

I have never been as excited about the emission spectrum of hydrogen as I have after watching this video.

[@andrewdescant]

Having watched many slow motion videos (on you tube) of balloons popping and of gasoline igniting I was not surprised by the hydrogen only video, but I wish I had taken the time to guess what I thought would happen. The speed of the mixed explosion did surprise me.

[@nathrm]

amazing how's nature work. fast and effective, simple but so complex all at one in a blink. show us more :)

[@Y_A_Z_F]

Destin is quickly becoming one of my favorite youtubers.

[@danniboi07]

The energy comes from the electrons. As they drop from one energy state to a lower energy state, the difference in energy is given off as photons and heat (as you said). (read up on physical chemistry, it's been three years since i took the class and i could use a refresher myself lol)

[@douglashill2469]

I knew oxyhydrogen was hot stuff, 03:28 was no surprise to me, but 03:34 (or 03:59) still surprised me. Even with a high speed camera, POW! In just a few frames, it's pretty much over and what you see is the product.

[@LabNYorkie]

I wish my chemistry class in high school was like this. Imagine how many students would become future chemists if teachers could find a way to make the class exciting and educational.

[@aisles23]

This is just what I wanted to see... The Hindenburg accident would have been another whole story if the hydrogen was mixed already with oxigen... nice to see the smarter everyday guy helping you!

[@kingofcobwebs]

It is always good to hear someone this intelligent, who has been studying this Universe a great deal longer than myself, comfortably admit he is wrong. There's hope for humanity yet! I guessed that a reaction to something outside the Hydrogen balloon was what gave it that color, assuming it was O2. Having seen enough high-speed footage of bursting balloons, it had to be true; a water balloon, when burst, leaves a sphere of liquid hanging in the air for a fraction of time. Awesome.

[@aintnobiscuit]

wow, this blew my mind. I've always loved chemistry/physics. thank you for the amazing video

[@achievementhousebw7387]

The red color that often occurs is still unexplained and most interesting. Suggest using another substance instead of latex as the envelope, perhaps waxed paper? And for combustion processes chemical engineers, like me, always specify excess oxygen. The 50-50 mix of oxygen with hydrogen was described to me as the most explosive. Would like to see that next time as well. Have loved your series since Elements Organized way back in the 80's Bruce Williamson

[@iowafarmboy]

My collage chemistry professor would occasionally fill 5 balloons before class and have them tied about 20ft in the air off the the table in the front. 2 were filled with hydrogen, 2 with hydrogen and oxygen, and 1 with helium. He would like them one at a time and we had to say what was filled with was. It was a fun way to keep some of the more boring lectures interesting as he would wait part way through the lecture to light them.

[@chiralSPO]

I think this source of the colored flame is actually the solid powder lubricant that nearly all balloons are sold with. This is often talc or cornstarch, either of which could color the flame yellowish-orange (talc can have sodium or calcium impurities). It is known that metal salts or boron compounds can be added to balloons to change the color of the explosion as well. Clearly the flame produced by the stoichiometric mixture in a balloon shown here is much brighter than that of a stoichiometric flame in a HHO torch, so it has to be more than just the ratio. I propose washing the balloons very thoroughly with water, and then testing both pure hydrogen and mixed gases with the same high-speed footage.

[@themomaw]

This is because the color of light emitted by an incandescent gas (a flame) is different than the color of light that is reflected by a material. Sulfur is yellow when you have a piece in your hand, but burns with a bright blue flame. You might change the color of the flame a little bit (heavily inked paper often burns with a slight green tint, for example), but changing the color of the balloon would still leave it being almost entirely rubber.

[@addjewelry]

That was so cool! Love the high quality slo-mo.

[@NyanCatMatt]

After seeing that, I believe it was simply the elasticity of the balloon being broken that causes the balloon to burst before the gas is ignited. In the case with 2:1 H:O, the oxygen was already mixed with the hydrogen, therefore, the explosion was much more instantaneous than pure hydrogen. That's just my theory on the matter, but I'm not a physicist or chemist, just a simple mind at work. :)

[@celtgunn9775]

Much as I love learning from the Professor, the hydrogen only balloon is just stunning❣🔥

[@funestis]

Keep in mind that the color of the flame is affected not only by temperature (black body) but also by emission lines of hydrogen and oxygen in later experiment. The reddish color of first experiment can be (at least part of the color) attributed to red emission line H alpha. Also later experiment had a distinctive greenish afterglow (which affected the color as whole) which can be attributed to recombination of oxygen.

[@Slithy]

It's a common way to turn a number into percentage. If you'll divide 1 by 2, you'll get 0.5 In order to get percentage, you need to multiply 0.5 by 100%and you'll get your 50%. That's just a measurement units issue, you can look up how it works on Energy conversion efficiency example. Same thing there.

[@rich1051414]

It's hilarious Destin got himself such a cool high speed camera and decides to hold it instead of mounting it. It is cool to see the delayed startled reactions tho :)

[@TheDoplarEffect]

Oxigen is needed for flame.In the ballon of only Hidrogen the ballon burst and all the Hidrogen "poured" out looking for Oxigen to react with,hence the slower delay time and the more spred out flame (whichlowered the final temperature).In the ballon with the mixture the Hidrogen atoms already had Oxigen,so when energy was added they imidiatlly reacted and blew before the ballon.This caused that less spred out in search of Oxigen thus making higher temperature.

[@lampyman101]

it is certainly the understatement of the day.

[@PeteTheFatDog]

Seriously, I live about 30 seconds from the Rose & Crown, right near your faculty. On my way to work,(or the pub) I'll cycle through the university car park just so one of these days, you'll see a random fella' cycle into some bins trying to evade the university security. As a member of the public, (and non student) his little 'tickets' don't mean a great deal. I wish I'd have known Destin was in town, guy's a legend, the Milky Bars would've been on me.

[@TheJascal]

The slowed reaction in the pure H2 ignition favors the n=3 to n=2 transition in the hydrogen and it is a cooler reaction.

[@unaliveeveryonenow]

A couple of thoughts: 1. Flame of an exploded balloon may be hotter than that of a burner. According to black body radiation intensity is increased and wavelength is shifted down (from IR to visible red?). 2. Emission could be attributed to repeated dissociation and recombination of heated H2O which is quickly removed and cooled in a burner. 3. The balloon material might emit some gasses which could speed up pt.2

[@FlyingPiper13]

You should make a video about decomposing saltwater using electrolysis! Very simple, very fascinating experiment.

[@Suspicious0bservers]

I hear Mr2tuff2 has been messaging you... He is a good guy with which to discuss these things.

[@1.4142]

why hello there big channel 7 years later

[@MrSmudger687]

When dealing with volumes of gas (especially hydrogen and oxygen, which are close to being "ideal" gases) the molecular weight is not related to the number of moles of gas in a given volume ie, 1 mole of hydrogen gas is approximately 24 litres at room temperature and pressure, but 1 mole of oxygen is also approximately 24 litres at RT and pressure. According the the ideal gas equation pV=nRT (there's no molar mass variable here)

[@TerrabyteX]

Amazing experiment professor

[@AgainsaidBen]

What an interesting experiment. I was fascinated the entire way.