It was a sunny Saturday morning, I was at home and for the first time in a long while, I wasn't going to work or had any serious plans. I had planned to stay home, watch television and sleep. After eating breakfast, I was relaxing on the couch when my friend called to ask about my plans for the day. He suggested that we visit the cinema and see the new ‘Kingsman’ movie. I initially refused but later gave in when he informed me that some other friends were also coming. What better time to hang out with friends who I haven’t seen in a while than now? I thought. I set out for the mall which is 15 minutes from my house, hoping not to come across traffic. I got to the mall in real time and met a couple of my friends who I haven’t seen in a while. Armed with popcorns and juice, we entered the cinema hall, took seats and started watching the film. As I chew my popcorn while explosions occur in the movie, I realised the similarity they both share.
Popcorn and Bombs
Popcorns have become a realistic part of most fun time relaxations. I mean what's a good movie without popcorns? Whether at the cinema or at home. It’s a great way to enjoy the fun time. And we only have to switch on a new station for about 10 minutes to see at least one scene of an explosion. But did you know that when stripped down to the basics, popcorns and explosions from dynamites are just a consequence of a change in volume?
Still don’t see it? Well let's find out
Now, the most important ingredient for making popcorn, apart from all that sugar and butter, is of course the kernel itself. This corn kernel contains water. When the popcorn popper heats up the kernel, the water in the kernel is converted to water vapour almost instantly. Now this is where Chemistry comes in - Water vapour has a density of 0.001g/ml while water in liquid form has a density of 1.00g/ml. So when the popcorn popper heats the kernel, the water in it increases about a thousand fold in volume almost instantaneously! It’s an explosion! The Kernel blows up, also known as popping.
Explosives make use of similar rapid large changes in volume. Nitroglycerin, the active ingredient of dynamite for example, is liquid under ordinary conditions. When it explodes, each mole is converted to 8 moles of gaseous products. The result is also an almost instantaneous increase of 24,000 fold in volume with an accompanying emission of heat raising the temperature to about 5000°C (Remember, water boils at 100°C).
It’s no wonder things are blown to bits! So you see, popcorn and explosives are more alike than you think. However, as always, whether the knowledge of a simple science principle such as this is used for a simple snack or to maim lives, always depends on people.