Black Fire Snake

In this Instructable I'll show you how to make a "Black Fire Snake". You can perform this classic science experiment with a number of items that you have at home or can buy in the local supermarket.

Important note: This experiment uses lighter fluid and fire. Always do this outside and if you are not an adult under the supervision of your parents!

Baking soda (10 gram)

Sugar (30 gram)

Lighter fluid (Zippo)

Sand

Cups

Spoon

Lighter

To start, we're going to soak the sand with lighter fluid. In principle you could immediately soak the mixture that we are going to make in the next step with lighter fluid, the reaction becomes the same but the result is a lot less impressive.

• Add your sand to your bowl.
• Soak the sand with lighter fluid.

• Mix the baking soda and sugar together.
• Pile it onto the soaked sand surface.

One more time just to be sure: Experimenting is fun, but of course we don't want anyone to get injured. This experiment uses lighter fluid and fire. Always do this outside and if you are not an adult under the supervision of your parents! Always have a fire extinguisher nearby in case something goes wrong.

• Put the bowl we prepared outside.

• Light the mixture with a long lighter or a long match and watch the black fire snake be born.

How it works

when the mixture burns, the baking soda gets hot, and it decomposes to release carbon dioxide gas. A lack of oxygen in the sugar from the combustion creates carbonate and water vapor. The pressure from the CO2 gas pushes this carbonate out to form the snake, which should continue growing for 20 minutes.

Chemical reactions (With a little bit help of Wikipedia)

Three chemical reactions occur when the snake is lit. Sodium bicarbonate breaks down into sodium carbonate, water vapor, and carbon dioxide:[2] 2 NaHCO3(s) → Na2CO3(s) + H2O(g) + CO2(g)

Burning sucrose or ethanol (reaction with oxygen in the air) produces carbon dioxide gas and water vapor:[2] C12H22O11(s) + 12 O2(g) → 12 CO2(g) + 11 H2O(g)C2H5OH(l) + 3 O2(g) → 2 CO2(g) + 3 H2O(g)

Some of the sucrose does not burn, but merely decomposes at the high temperature, giving off elemental carbon and water vapor:[4] C12H22O11(s) → 12 C(s) + 11 H2O(g)

The carbon in the reaction makes the snake black. The overall process is exothermic enough that the water produced in the reactions is vaporized. This steam, in addition to the carbon dioxide product, makes the snake lightweight and airy and allows it to grow to a large size from a comparably small amount of starting material.