Re: A Cool Billion ! Roll Up, Roll Up !
It's just not as simple as that.
Well, true, you need to measure a stoichiometric amount (which IIRC, works out at a 3:1 ratio by weight) and stick a short piece of magnesium ribbon in the top.
I've seen it done, at school, done it myself, at university, and taught others to do it as a demonstration of the thermite reaction to school students to pique their interest in chemistry. It really is pretty simple. It's also pretty dangerous (especially the safe handling and storage of aluminium powder), so, in all seriousness, don't.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
