Ol' Sol and the big picture

Paul Sutton said:
My take on the hydrogen oxygen explosion: The reaction of hydrogen with oxygen is very fast, but not as fast as the speed of light. The duration of the ignition spark is long compared to the short distance the blue light travels and the time for complete reaction. During the early stage of the reaction, prior to the reaction going to completion and the bursting of the balloon, unreacted oxygen is excited and emits the blue light. This is followed by the reaction and pressure building to a maximum and bursting the balloon. At this stage the heat of reaction presents itself as the bright orange/red glow. Due to the high temperature some gas ionization takes place and the ignition spark follows a route through the ionized gases just like lightning.
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Just thinking...the hydrogen is molecular, so the reaction splits that molecule as the O2 also has to split...light emission from both of these splits might occur...I doanknow...and thinking that the formation of superheated steam also suggests optical filtering of any emitted spectra. The reaction would tend to create supersonic interference pressure waves, distorting image.

Paul, I think you wrote a good post. Thanks.
 
A very high speed camera would be interesting for this and a few comments from a physical chemist. I took the H-H bond energy and converted it to a light wavelength and got 277nm which is in the UV - Perhaps that is the blue color observed, but I think it is oxygen excitation because I don't want to be wrong...:laughing:
 
Sooo... It's 1895 and a Rokerfellerdude is grifting from one con job to another and marrying widows in every town... (see Corbett of the dude). He's working up another con when he meets a preacher dude. They make bibigplan.

Plan> "Why we'll simply go from town to town claiming we can change the weather with a special smokestuff and a suitable bonfire, and firing an old cannon a few times!" (They promise money back if no results.) It's all a lie. They plan to steal the money if it doesn't work. They also plan to steal the money if it works.

Does such a plan reminds anyone of what's happening. The climate always changes, just like the weather...and confidence games work... nobody controls the sun...

..............

My first and only stolen motorcycle... Norton twin. I gave it back about 2 hours later. The deal was that the owner owned it in secret from his mother, so he said nothing. I still count him as an old pal. We were 14...
 
That covers a lot of bases, good one G.
Here's a snippet on water and electricity.
Consider Thunderbirds and Thor. It could have been something more than our run of the mill electrical storms to have inspired the concepts.
 
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