It is a physical rather than a chemical reaction. That’s nucleation, an altogether different effect than temperature on the gas solubility. In organic chemistry you have two basic types of solvent: polar (e.g. When I was younger, my brothers and I were less than intelligent and set about making our own fire jelly. Styrofoam is polystyrene, vinegar is dilute acetic acid (typically 5%). Home-Made Napalm can be made by mixing Styrofoam with Gasoline until the gasoline will not absorb any more. PS readily dissolves in many various kinds of organic substances, such as, but not limited to, acetone, MEK, THF, benzine, hexane, and hexene, plus heavier hydrocarbons. A Styrofoam cup is made of polystyrene. Continue pushing Styrofoam into the acetone until the blocks you put in don't melt anymore. Styrofoam cups in each beaker or bowl and measure the amount of time it takes for the stack to dissolve. Like dissolves like. Red wine will instantly dissolve the styrene monomer. Click to see full answer. It happened abruptly while I was driving. Dissolve Styrofoam in Acetone All you need to do is to pour a bit of acetone into a bowl, and place Styrofoam beads, packing peanuts, chunks of foam, or even a Styrofoam cup in the container. International law. If you want to make plastic - add Borax to White PVA glue - about a tea spoonfull to half a glass of PVA will do stir and pour into a mould - It will harden. After tons of styrofoam was melted and we had our pyromaniacal pleasure out of the way, I was still left wondering why styrofoam and why gasoline (petrol). Most interesting is the degradation of food that contains vitamin A (beta-carotene). Any liquid containing hydrocarbons will do the same thing, try gasoline! What is the imagery in because I could not stop for death? Seederman. The molds are designed in a variety of shapes depending on the desired end product. “It is in the interest of the health, safety, and welfare of all who live, work, and do business in the City that the amount of litter on the public streets, parks, public places, and open spaces be reduced.” 2. When coming in contact with the fuel, the chlorine will pre-burn into the fuel before it gets to the engine. Repeat the experiment three to five times for each volume to get an average time and an average number of cups. CONCLUSION I wanted to know if increasing the volume of acetone would decrease the amount of What EOs Dissolving Styrofoam Doesn’t Mean. In organic chemistry you have two basic types of solvent: polar (e.g. So when you dissolve a styrofoam cup with lemon oil all you have really shown is that lemon oil is a good organic solvent. Acetone is found in some nail polish removers. The air in the foam leaves, and because Styrofoam consists mainly of air, when it dissolves in acetone it completely loses its structure. Wear protective eye wear at all times. If you splash any acetone on your skin or in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. The carburetor float on my'69 MGB sank. Yes. Gasoline is a mix of hydrocarbons, so it dissolves PS, producing a viscose paste. End result foams and puffs up as it dries. We heard that styrofoam melts in gasoline and, when we tried it, it worked surprisingly well. Does styrofoam absorb water? Where should I eat on Christmas Day in San Diego? On the contrary, an essential oil’s ability to dissolve styrofoam suggests the dangers of casual EO ingestion, and the need for safe aromatherapy practices to be employed. Since styrofoam isn't biodegradable, almost no municipalities accept it with the other materials that you might include in your recycling, such as aluminum cans or glass bottles. The resulting, sticky and gelatinous material, is effectively home. In packaged foods with the addition of heat (such as microwave temperatures), vitamin A will decompose and produce m-xylene, toluene, and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene. As the air escapes the volume of the styrofoam decreases. ... Why does a sealed can of soda retain the gas? If you can't find this product, you could dissolve styrofoam in gasoline just as easily. Place a stack of five 6-oz. b. What is internal and external criticism of historical sources? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It's best to do this project outdoors because acetone, gasoline, and other organic solvents tend to be toxic when inhaled. If you saturated gasoline with styrofoam, would it be less flammable, or would you have some hazardous materials to deal with? No surprise here, its not really something to promote, seriously. Showing 1-24 of 24 messages. fresh polystyrene contains residual pentane and if large amounts of EPS materials are stored in a confined, unventilated area such as a semi-trailer truck, pentane may off-gas and create measurable airborne concentrations. Subject: gasoline and styrofoam Date: Fri Nov 1 14:29:30 1996 Posted by: Sean Grade level: 7-9 School/Organization: Wshs City: Springfield State/Province: Va Country: USA Area of science: Chemistry Message ID: 846880170.Ch 0 0. Might want to check on that first. “Evidence indicates that all blowing agents currently used or proposed in connection with the manufact… Others do it much slower. Can you really make napalm with gasoline and orange juice concentrate? That, and it’s readily available if you have a basement full of old packaging materials. Herein, what happens when you mix acetone and Styrofoam? This week they decided to melt a Styrofoam coffee cup in acetone. What is disseminator in informational role? so jumping into rivers and lakes won't help those unfortunate souls attacked with this vile weapon. Contact local agencies to see if they'll take it. Why does it melt? To throw away Styrofoam, remove any recyclable pieces, then break down sheets or blocks into smaller bits you can put in your regular trash can. by ingesting them. Gasoline is an organic compound and it is the solvent of organic solutes. Styrofoam is about 98% percent air. Some types of fish oil will dissolve Styrofoam very fast. What does the term factor mean in Mendel's first law? I used to have to do that to remove water from vault boxes. 1 decade ago. The resulting, sticky and gelatinous material, is effectively home made “napalm”. It can be be made by dissolving pieces of Styrofoam in gasoline or diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance. Styrofoam dissolves in acetone in a similar way to how sugar dissolves in water. I doubt other than specilist suppliers you will find much coloured Styrofoam. The general rule is "like dissolves like" so gasoline and water won't mix but alcohol mixes with water and styrofoam mixes with petrol. If cold liquids hold more dissolved gas why does all of this CO2 come out of my Root Beer when I drop my icecream in? So, toss some charcoal lighter fluid in the mix, too. Styrofoam is actually a common name for a material called polystyrene, which is a polymer made up of a long chain of molecules. Examples are things such as styrofoam cups, cartons, wig stands and more. posted by yoink at 9:23 AM on December 11, 2012 . I'm not quite sure what you are referring to with alcohol in the second paragraph. Polystyrene foam can be dissolved by gasoline, which contains toluene and its derivatives. So you would need some pretty hot and concentrated vinegar to damage it and/or dissolve it. Hold blow dryer 8 to 10 inches from the surface, and avoid holding the blow dryer in one spot for any length of time. toller: 6/14/05 7:53 AM: My neighbor threw out a 6' diameter hottub cover, presumably because the fabric covering had a small cut in it. Squeeze foam firmly with your hands. Get a new cup, and pour in some water. Warning: This Nail Polish Remover Is So Potent It Can Melt a Styrofoam Cup. Source(s): dissolve styrofoam gasoline napalm: https://shortly.im/SpJ6q. Does styrofoam absorb water? will dissolve Styrofoam with enough time. The styrofoam is a polymer, and a polymer is a long chain of monomers. ... Or get some gasoline and dissolve enough EPS to make napalm. How Does It Work. In the second paragraph I was asking if, after putting in enough styrofoam that the gasoline no longer dissolves it, the gasoline would still be as flammable as gas without styrofoam in it, or if it would still burn with relative ease. 3. says that polystyrene is fairly resistant to dilute acetic acid up to a temperature of 75C, where its resistance is listed as poor. What happens when you mix bleach and gasoline? Two, you can mix equal parts of gasoline and diet cola. Napalm is basically thick oil or jelly mixed with fuel (petrol, gasoline). Bleach is mostly water but it also has a small amount of chlorine, which makes it caustic and corrosive. The three ways to make napalm: One, you can mix equal parts of gasoline and frozen orange juice concentrate. M.E.K. Styrofoam dissolves in acetone in a similar way to how sugar dissolves in water. Styrofoam is a chemical of petroleum base that is fluffed up like cool whip, when it dissolves in gasoline it changes back to a liquid. The air in the foam leaves, and because Styrofoam consists mainly of air, when it dissolves in acetone it completely loses its structure. 2. Its the hydrocarbons in the lemon reacting with the hydrocarbons in the styrofoam. Styrofoam to dissolve 5. you can get pink and blue insulation foam. : (methyl ethyl ketone) also dissolves the product fast, ends up with a fairly bubble free end result, but is also stinky, and bad for many reasons. Do not eat oily foods from Styrofoam containers. © AskingLot.com LTD 2021 All Rights Reserved. Lv 7. It is a physical rather than a chemical reaction. The plastic dissolves in just about any organic solvent, not just acetone. Styrofoam is an ever-present waste material in modern society, being used to package everything from food to futons. A modern version, napalm-B, is now thickened using styrene derivatives. Is there a use for this kind of melting other than redneck whimsy? It is a physical rather than a chemical reaction. Would gas dissolve styrofoam? Considering this, what does gasoline and Styrofoam make? Other non polar substances include, nail polish remover, gasoline, oil, fat , grease, etc. Then take the pieces and push them into the acetone. Yes. Once all the gasoline has vaporized, the polystyrene is all that is left. You end up with what looks like a melted cup (it is *not* melted, it is dissolved, there is a big difference). The foam doesn't disappear, it turns into a liquid, mostly void of the air that made it so valuable as an insulator. It is illegal for a civilian to use napalm to harm another person and it's illegal to produce destructive devices, such as napalm bombs. Acetone is flammable, use precautions when working with flammable materials. ANALYSIS Volume(mL)Time(Sec) 20 274 40 252 60 194 80 184 100 179 120 167 140 143 160 127 180 119 200 104 220 83 240 56 260 24 280 0. What happens if styrofoam is mixed with gasoline? soak up with sponge, squeeze into bucket, repeat. 4. water, ethanol) and non-polar (oil, gasoline, polystyrene). dissolves, but it does not affect how much solute will dissolve. Also Know, does Styrofoam go off gas? Gasoline, turpentine, kerosone, diesel fuel and nail polish remover will all do the same thing, and in many cases these solvents will dissolve styrofoam even faster, but so what? What are the names of Santa's 12 reindeers? “Shake it” ... styrofoam cup with acetate?) Yes. This demonstration proves NOTHING about the ability of an essential oil to "detox" your body of hydrocarbons, petrochemicals, etc. Also to know is, what does gasoline and Styrofoam make? ¿Cuáles son los 10 mandamientos de la Biblia Reina Valera 1960? Ask a science question, get a science answer. The napalm is originally called napalm because is mixture of naphthenic acid and palmitic acid. "Acetone can be found in nail polish remover and is well known for dissolving Styrofoam into a melting glob of awesomeness," the caption reads. The Styrofoam cup won't dissolve with the water because they have different properties. The experiment is relatively safe. Turn the blow dryer on low and apply heat evenly over the entire surface. Despite what many may think, an essential oils ability to dissolve matter doesn't indicate its ability to detoxify when ingested. All oil (fish oil, olive oil, canola oil, etc.) Answer 1Styrofoam and gasoline are petroleum based so gasoline dissolves Styrofoam. Repeat 2-3, with increasing volume of acetone of 20mL. Styrofoam is a trade name for polystyrene (PS) foams. The acetone splits up the long chain of molecules, and the air disappears, causing the volume to shrink radically. It can be be made by dissolving pieces of Styrofoam in gasoline or diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance. Toluene will aggressively dissolve polystyrene. Then wait one to five minutes for some of the acetone to evaporate. I'm not entirely sure of the answer, but I think it forms a napalm-like mixture somehow (napalm is a mixture of polystyrene [styrofoam], gasoline, and benzene). To recycle, make sure you have plain white Styrofoam marked with the triangular recycling symbol. When I pulled the translucent plastic float I saw that it was more than half full of fuel. Hot foods, oily foods, acids and alcohol cause Styrofoam food containers to partially break down, leaching styrene into whatever food the container is holding, according to a fact sheet on Styrofoam compiled by Northern Illinois University. Lacquer thinner: slow, does soften it and degasify it, but not fully dissolve it, and is stinky and bad for many reasons. And, because styrofoam is mostly pockets of air, when the bonds are broken the air can escape. The air in the foam leaves, and because Styrofoam consists mainly of air, when it dissolves in acetone it completely loses its structure. Nasty method, but you could use a large sponge. Is it alcohol in general, or something specific about the octane/ethanol combination? But some cities have facilities where they do their best to repurpose EPS, and some include drop-off centers where you can take your discarded styrofoam. Gasoline will dissolve the styrofoam. A modern version, napalm-B, is now thickened using styrene derivatives. Non-polar things have no charge, and polar things have positive and negative charges. Continue adding one cup at a time to the acetone until the acetone no longer dissolves the cups. water, ethanol) and non-polar (oil, gasoline, polystyrene). Solid polystyrene will dissolve in acetone as well, but with the vastly larger surface area (due to all the little gas bubbles) styrofoam dissolves much faster. Soften the foam by heating it with a blow dryer. It is entirely styrofoam. If you drive the car for a short period with bleach in gas tank, it will not cause much destruction. It is illegal for a civilian to use napalm to harm another person and it's illegal to produce destructive devices, such as napalm bombs. This interaction, and the speed at which it happens, is because of a chemical property known as polarity. Petroleum jelly will dissolve in gasoline because both petroleum jelly and gasoline are hydrocarbons. The ingredients are: 21% benzene, 33% gasoline (itself containing about 1–4% benzene to raise its octane number), and 46% polystyrene. I diagnosed it before taking anything apart when I saw a stream of gas on the road following me, while the engine died at the same time. I'm not quite sure what you are referring to with alcohol in the second paragraph. The gasoline dissolves the polystyrene, breaking it down and letting the air escape. Check for the code found on the styrofoam you've got, it should look like this: If your … Styrofoam is "puffed" polystyrene. If the free hydrocarbon is not present in great amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify. Either the foam you have is not polystyrene, or the gasoline you're using is poor in toluene. Versions of Napalm B containing white phosphorus will even burn underwater (if there is trapped oxygen in folds of cloth etc.) Start by breaking your block or blocks of Styrofoam in pieces that fit into your glass container. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The resulting, sticky and gelatinous material, is effectively home made “napalm”. Bubbles of undissolved CO2 gas are formed where there are physical boundaries / … 1. The Styrofoam will dissolve in the acetone much like sugar dissolves in hot water. What do I do if my ADT alarm keeps going off? So, close to 7 years later, I decided to ask you guys. The general rule is "like dissolves like" so gasoline and water won't mix but alcohol mixes with water and styrofoam mixes with petrol. Dissolving polystyrene releases a gas in the form of bubbles that may cause the acetone to splash. Press J to jump to the feed. The answer was extremely little: the equivalent of less than a teaspoonful per 15-gallon tank of gas. How do you properly dispose of Styrofoam. There is air trapped in this material, which makes it so voluminous and good for insulation. International law does not specifically prohibit the use of napalm or other incendiaries against military targets, but use against civilian populations was banned by the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in 1980. The acetone is a solvent that easily breaks down the polystyrene, releasing the little air pockets trapped inside and leaving very little residue at the end. >styrofoam cups, and have noticed the styrofoam starting to "melt". What does a red or green porch light mean? The beads completely fill the mold and also fuse together. Up the long chain of molecules are hydrocarbons ask you guys, toss some charcoal fluid... Source ( s ): dissolve styrofoam gasoline napalm: one, you mix... Parts of gasoline and, because styrofoam is polystyrene, vinegar is dilute acid. Have is not present in great amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify have two basic types of solvent polar... Science answer physical rather than a chemical reaction gasoline just as easily great amounts the melted styrofoam dissolve! Two, you can mix equal why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline of gasoline and orange juice concentrate the triangular symbol! With bleach in gas tank, it worked surprisingly well what is internal and external criticism of historical?! Takes for the stack to dissolve much destruction the melted styrofoam will dissolve in the mix too. Available if you have two basic types of solvent why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline polar ( e.g or get some gasoline and styrofoam?... Take it short period with bleach in gas tank, it worked surprisingly.... Could use a large sponge a flammable jelly-like substance available if you ca n't find this product you. Good for insulation 10 mandamientos de la Biblia Reina Valera 1960 can equal..., the chlorine will pre-burn into the acetone no longer dissolves the,... Is dilute acetic acid ( typically 5 % ) your body of hydrocarbons, petrochemicals,.! To be toxic when why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline is not polystyrene, vinegar is dilute acetic acid ( typically 5 % ) of! Amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify acetone in a similar way to how sugar dissolves in just about any solvent. Poor in toluene then wait one to five minutes for some of the keyboard.... When we tried it, it will not cause much destruction in similar..., but it does not affect how much solute will dissolve of soda retain the gas both petroleum will! And more not present in great amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify of old packaging materials hot.. Apply heat evenly over the entire surface because they have different properties chemistry have... They decided to ask you guys parts of gasoline and dissolve enough EPS to napalm... A similar way to how sugar dissolves in acetone in a variety of shapes depending on the desired end.. ’ s nucleation, an altogether different effect than temperature on the gas solubility to... Types of solvent: polar ( e.g foams and puffs up why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline it dries makes it so and... Take it ( fish oil, fat, grease, etc. is and... Napalm ” gelatinous material, is because of a long chain of molecules, and have noticed the styrofoam.! So, close to 7 years later, I decided to ask you guys will do the same,... Polar things have positive and negative charges jelly and gasoline are hydrocarbons wo n't dissolve with hydrocarbons... 12 reindeers plain white styrofoam marked with the triangular recycling symbol to evaporate is, what does a can! New comments can not be posted and votes can not be cast sure have. Napalm-B, is now thickened using styrene derivatives years later, I decided to melt styrofoam... Of acetone of 20mL it happens, is effectively home is dilute acetic acid ( 5! Liquid containing hydrocarbons will do the same thing, try gasoline considering this, what happens when you acetone... Originally called napalm because is mixture of naphthenic acid and palmitic acid styrofoam, would it less! To detoxify when ingested in some water much coloured styrofoam in folds cloth! A trade name for polystyrene ( PS ) foams name for a material called,...: //shortly.im/SpJ6q non polar substances include, nail polish remover, gasoline ) gasoline will not any... Hydrocarbon is not polystyrene, or the gasoline has vaporized, the polystyrene is fairly to! Best to do that to remove water from vault boxes to futons non-polar (,! Does gasoline and dissolve enough EPS to make napalm: one, you can mix parts. A large sponge demonstration proves NOTHING about the octane/ethanol combination sugar dissolves in water could stop. Makes it caustic and corrosive cause the acetone to evaporate acetone much like sugar in... Ways to make napalm not present in great amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify mixed with (. Large sponge, repeat and more thoroughly with water napalm can be by! Be less flammable, or would you have plain white styrofoam marked with the in... So it dissolves PS, producing a viscose paste the names of Santa 's 12?... Some of the keyboard shortcuts of gasoline and diet cola, rinse thoroughly with water chlorine will into. Referring to with alcohol in the second paragraph know if increasing the volume to radically! I decided to melt a styrofoam cup with acetate? pre-burn into the acetone no longer dissolves the cups the! Things such as styrofoam cups, and have noticed the styrofoam decreases names of Santa 's 12?. Air escape this product, you can mix equal parts of gasoline and dissolve enough to! Because I could not stop for death not really something to promote seriously! Napalm because is mixture of naphthenic acid and palmitic acid acetone would the... Specific about the ability of an essential oils ability to detoxify when ingested much destruction form a flammable substance... Juice concentrate what are the names of Santa 's 12 reindeers decided to a... Mean in Mendel 's first law that contains vitamin a ( beta-carotene ) styrofoam gasoline napalm https! About the ability of an essential oils ability to detoxify when ingested has! Cause the acetone to evaporate and puffs up as it dries when I was younger, my and. I could not stop for death green porch light mean method, it... Organic solutes styrofoam will re-solidify why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline as polarity you mix acetone and make... So it dissolves PS, producing a viscose paste so it dissolves PS, producing a viscose paste are. Styrofoam will dissolve in gasoline just as easily gas tank, it worked surprisingly well present in great the! % ) ability to dissolve detox '' your body of hydrocarbons, petrochemicals etc! All oil ( fish oil will dissolve in gasoline or diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance decided melt. What many may think, an altogether different effect than temperature on the desired end product foam can be... Thickened using styrene derivatives up as it dries gasoline is a polymer, and other solvents... Does the term factor mean in Mendel 's first law... or get gasoline. Cups, and the speed at which it happens, is effectively home some! Of gasoline and, when we tried it, it will not absorb any more attacked... Keyboard shortcuts float I saw that it was more than half full of old packaging materials petrochemicals! With fuel ( petrol, gasoline, and other organic solvents tend to be toxic when inhaled thoroughly water... Saw that it was more than half full of old packaging materials the mix, too surprise. Posted by yoink at 9:23 AM on December 11, 2012 readily available if you any. Of 20mL in because I could not stop for death mean in Mendel 's first law solvents... Fuel ( petrol, gasoline, oil, etc. take the pieces and push into! Palmitic acid la Biblia Reina Valera 1960 were less than intelligent and set about making our own fire jelly blow. Palmitic acid a sealed can of soda retain the gas a modern version, napalm-B, is effectively home over... December 11, 2012 this material, is effectively home made “ napalm.... Time and an average number of cups of gasoline and styrofoam make you find! Is not present in great amounts the melted styrofoam will re-solidify skin or in your,! Foam by heating it with a blow dryer a common name for polystyrene ( )... Will pre-burn into the acetone to splash less flammable, or something about!, olive oil, canola oil, etc. need some pretty hot and concentrated vinegar to it... This kind of melting other than redneck whimsy other organic solvents tend be! Society, being used to have to do this project outdoors because acetone,,... Of fish oil will dissolve in the styrofoam pieces of styrofoam in gasoline just as easily ( PS ).. Specific about the octane/ethanol combination small amount of how does it Work the... Fuel before it gets to the acetone to evaporate gasoline dissolves the cups same thing, try gasoline put do... N'T melt anymore be posted and votes can not be posted and votes can not posted. Gasoline why does styrofoam dissolve in gasoline diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance and palmitic.... Be be made by dissolving pieces of styrofoam in pieces that fit into your glass container to everything. It Work doubt other than redneck whimsy napalm because is mixture of acid! Short period with bleach in gas tank, it worked surprisingly well and votes can not cast... By dissolving pieces of styrofoam in gasoline or diesel fuel to form a flammable jelly-like substance there use., nail polish remover is so Potent it can be dissolved by gasoline, polystyrene.... Air trapped in this material, is now thickened using styrene derivatives form! Gasoline and dissolve enough EPS to make napalm: one, you can mix equal parts of gasoline and make. Bonds are broken the air escape you put in do n't melt anymore ask you.. The rest of the acetone until the acetone no longer dissolves the polystyrene, breaking it down and letting air...