From: ahahma@polaris.utu.fi (Arno Hahma)
Newsgroups: rec.pyrotechnics
Subject: Re: Iron...
Message-ID: <1992Apr23.181253.19752@polaris.utu.fi>
Date: 23 Apr 92 18:12:53 GMT

In article <4dxVcAa00awI01hVVC@andrew.cmu.edu> Mark Beirne Lively
<ml5a+@andrew.cmu.edu> writes:

>demonstration in there which consisted of some iron compound which was
>red i believe adn that was placed in a sealed test tube and heated.  It
>then turned Black.  adn then wound spontaniously combust when mixed with

That was most probably iron oxalate. When it is heated, it decomposes
into ultra fine iron powder and carbon dioxide. The iron powder is so
fine it ignites spontaneously, if brought into contact with air, i.e.
poured out of the tube.

That is a nice demonstration!

ArNO
    2