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Complex Chemistry to Strike a Match

The chemistry of lighting a match.

If you want to see in a dark room, light a match. It's simple isn't it? Not so fast, it is actually quite complex. A slow motion video at 40,000 frames per second shows the process. The completed video spreads out 0.10 of a second into one and a half minutes.

Ignition takes place inside the "live" head of the match. It is just a little explosion followed by "slow" burn. The chemical blob does not burst into pieces. I holds together with small bits rolling to the outside surface. It looks a planet exploding.

The main ingredient of a match head is antimony trisulfide: potassium chlorate makes this burn. Ammonium phosphate is also there to reduce particles from escaping, but some smoke is inevitable. Paraffin wax coats the match down to the halfway mark to ensure the flame continues on down the matchstick.

Powdered glass and red phosphate in the strike strip on the side of the matchbox ignites by friction when the head of the match is drawn across the strip. Oxygen comes in causing ignition turning the red phosphorous into white phosphorous. Fire and flame ensues from the heated potassium chlorate. Oxygen plus sulfide makes the flame burn longer.

So when you next light a match think of the complex process, then go on doing your mundane task. Lighting a fire? haven't you been told not to fight fire with fire? Oh, you do fight/light fire with fire!

◆ Chemistry by Ty Buchanan ◆

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SUCH A LITTLE MATCH!

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Crowd Wave Observed in Prairie Dogs

The crowd wave at sporting events in not an entirely human thing. Prairie dogs do the "jump-yip". This keeps others involved and tells an individual how alert others are. It begins like the human wave. One or two will start doing it and at first it is ignored. Then it takes on a mind of its own and soon all are doing it.

The wave is just as noisy as the human wave with loud yips coming from everywhere. Prairie dogs use their whole body to make the sound. They raise there front legs then lower them with a "wee-oo" call in sequence. Like humans prairie dogs live in towns.

It was believed to be a warning call of the presence of predators, but prairie dogs continue the wave whether a predator is there or not. It is a social activity to test the alertness of others. If fellow animals do not respond a prairie dogs will not forage very much. On the other hand, if everyone is at it, they assume they can eat in safety. Somehow they are making a judgement about the prevailing danger.

In humans, the wave is usually done when the local team is doing well. Boredom about the state of play can trigger it as well. When the visiting team is doing well there is less motivation to do it - unless it is done in jest. It serves a social function in both species.

Nature by Ty Buchanan

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Swearing Clampdown in Tennis Is Possible

In a country where swearing in public is an accepted part of normal life it seems odd for Australian authorities to threaten tennis players with fines for doing it on court. At least it remains only a slim possibility at the moment.

The problem is that professional tennis is televised in general viewing hours when children could be watching. Andy Murray, at the center of debate for swearing in his match with Denis Istomin, says he will not tone down his behavior. He could have been a little more diplomatic and announced that he would sincerely mend his ways. In a challenge with tennis authorities he would definitely lose.

Sarcasm about moving the microphones further away from the court must surely be a joke. Spectators want to experience as much of the action as possible. Blaming other players for swearing more than himself is unsportsmanlike. Saying that swearing in languages other than English goes unnoticed is a bit "iffy" as well.