I've got lots of dry ice projects for you to try, but one conspicuous omission is the dry ice bomb, even though it's legal to make a dry ice bomb in many places. The recipe isn't exactly rocket science. A dry ice bomb simply consists of dry ice that is sealed in a rigid container. The dry ice sublimates to form carbon dioxide, which exerts pressure on the wall of the container until... BOOM! A dry ice bomb causes an explosion with the following undesirable effects: Extremely loud report. You can permanently damage your hearing. This is the reason dry ice bombs are illegal in Tennessee, for example. The explosion throws pieces of the container which act as shrapnel. It also throws pieces of dry ice, which could get embedded in your skin, producing frostbite and extreme tissue damage as the carbon dioxide freezes tissue and sublimates to form gas bubbles. You can't gauge how pressurized the container is so you can't "defuse" the bomb. If you have a dry ice bomb that doesn't go off, it's still dangerous. You can't approach it to try to release the pressure, since this would put you at risk. The only good way to eliminate the hazard is to rupture the container from a distance. This often involves having a law enforcement officer shoot the container, which is a situation to avoid. While you may not set out to make a dry ice bomb, if you're working with dry ice you need to avoid making one unintentionally. Don't seal dry ice in a latching cooler. Don't close it up in a sealed fridge or freezer. Don't close it in a plastic bottle. ... Don't seal dry ice in anything!I'm often asked why I don't discuss dry ice bombs. The reason is simple: it's a risky project. However, it's important to know why it's risky and how to avoid endangering yourself working with this useful and interesting material. Photo: High speed photograph of dry ice bomb exploding.
Touching Dry Ice | Dry Ice Facts
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