Hey there! I’m Kate from MinuteEarth, and today we’re diving into a fun topic about energy and explosions. Let’s start with something called TNT, or 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene. Just a tiny amount of TNT, about seven grams, has enough energy to launch a bowling ball 600 meters into the air! Now, let’s compare that to seven grams of marshmallows. Believe it or not, marshmallows have enough energy to lift the same ball nearly 2,000 meters. Surprised? Well, there’s a reason why marshmallows don’t explode when you roast them.
Both TNT and marshmallows release energy through chemical reactions, but the speed at which they do this is very different. In a chemical reaction, atoms rearrange to form new substances, releasing energy in the process. TNT is ready to explode because it already has all the atoms it needs. Just a little energy, like a shock from a detonator, sets off a rapid reaction that happens in a few millionths of a second.
Marshmallows, on the other hand, need oxygen to burn and release energy. When you roast a marshmallow, only the sugar on its surface meets oxygen from the air. As it burns, more sugar reacts with oxygen, but this process takes about a minute to release all the energy. It’s like comparing a sudden downpour to a gentle rain that lasts for hours. The gentle rain might deliver more water overall, but it does so slowly.
While marshmallows release energy slowly, sugar can be dangerous if conditions are right. If sugar is ground into a fine dust, it has a large surface area that can react with oxygen quickly. In 2008, a sugar dust explosion at a Georgia sugar refinery showed how destructive this can be.
Quickly releasing energy can be destructive because it creates intense waves of pressure and heat. When you roast a marshmallow, the energy is released slowly, like a gentle rain that the soil can absorb. But if energy is released too fast, it’s like a flash flood that causes damage.
Energy isn’t always destructive; it can also be used for good. For example, with Tab for a Cause, you can make a positive impact with just a small amount of energy. By installing their browser extension, you help donate money to charity every time you open a new tab. They’ve raised over a million dollars for organizations like Conservation International and water.org. If you sign up now at tabforacause.org/minuteearth2, you might even get a limited edition MinuteEarth tote bag. So, why not use your energy to make a difference?
Imagine you’re a scientist comparing TNT and marshmallows. Create a chart that lists the properties of each, such as energy release speed and conditions needed for a reaction. Discuss with your classmates why marshmallows don’t explode like TNT.
Conduct a safe experiment by roasting marshmallows over a flame. Observe and record how the marshmallow changes as it heats up. Discuss why the marshmallow doesn’t explode and how the energy is released slowly.
Watch a video or simulation of a sugar dust explosion. Discuss the conditions that make sugar dust dangerous and compare it to the slow energy release of a marshmallow. Reflect on how surface area affects reaction speed.
Research how energy can be used positively, like with Tab for a Cause. Create a presentation on how small actions can lead to significant impacts, and share examples of other initiatives that use energy for good.
Design a poster that explains the importance of handling energy-releasing substances safely. Include tips on preventing accidents with everyday items like sugar and highlight the differences between safe and dangerous energy releases.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, this is Kate from MinuteEarth. This is 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, better known as TNT. This small amount of TNT – seven grams – contains enough chemical energy that, when detonated, it could lift a bowling ball about six hundred meters into the air. And this is seven grams of a sugary treat, better known as a marshmallow. Its chemical energy could lift that same ball nearly two thousand meters. Wait, what? If sugary treats can release three times more energy than TNT, why doesn’t roasting a marshmallow cause an explosion? Luckily for us marshmallow lovers, the rates at which the energy is released through chemical reactions are very different.
Many chemical reactions release energy as atoms rearrange into new substances; the longer it takes for that rearrangement to occur, the more slowly the energy is released. Since TNT already has all the atoms it needs to rearrange into gases and a bit of extra carbon, you just need to add some energy to initiate the reaction – usually with a shock from a detonator – and then all that rearrangement happens in a few millionths of a second.
But the marshmallow is missing an ingredient; it needs to combine with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water – in other words, to burn. Once you add some energy to get things started, only atoms on the marshmallow’s surface – where its sugar meets oxygen from the air – will be able to rearrange themselves. As the marshmallow burns, more of its sugar will encounter the oxygen and be able to react, but burning the whole sugary mass – and releasing all its energy – will take about a minute. So sure, when you roast a marshmallow, you can get way more energy than when you detonate an equal mass of TNT… but you’ll release all that energy over a much longer time. It’s similar to how a heavy rain can be intense, but a gentle rain that lasts for hours can actually deliver more water overall.
However, sugar doesn’t always take its time to release energy; if sugar is ground finely enough to have enough surface area to interact with oxygen and if there’s enough energy around to initiate a reaction, it too can release its energy all at once, like TNT. In 2008, a sugar dust explosion occurred at a Georgia sugar refinery, resulting in tragic consequences.
But why is releasing energy quickly so destructive? When you burn a marshmallow, or even a large pile of marshmallows, the energy is released slowly enough that it can dissipate into the environment – like a gentle spring rain that falls all day but slowly enough for the soil to absorb it. However, there’s a limit to how quickly energy or water can be absorbed. When it’s released faster than that limit, the excess energy manifests as destructive waves of pressure and heat, similar to how excess water can lead to a flash flood. This is something to keep in mind the next time you’re roasting a marshmallow.
Energy isn’t always destructive; it can also be used for good. With Tab for a Cause, you can make a positive impact with just a small amount of energy; simply install the browser extension, and Tab for a Cause will donate money to charity each time you open a new browser tab. Tab for a Cause recently reached an amazing milestone: they have raised over a million dollars in donations for organizations like Conservation International and water.org. Since making the world a better place is important to us, if you sign up now at tabforacause.org/minuteearth2, you’ll have a chance to receive a limited edition MinuteEarth tote bag. So head over to tabforacause.org/minuteearth2 and start making a difference.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Energy – The ability to do work or cause change, often seen in chemical reactions as heat or light – When a chemical reaction occurs, energy can be released in the form of heat or light.
Explosions – Rapid and violent release of energy, often resulting from a chemical reaction – The explosion in the lab was caused by a rapid chemical reaction that released a large amount of energy.
Chemical – A substance with a distinct molecular composition that is produced by or used in a chemical process – Water is a chemical made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
Reactions – Processes in which substances interact to form new substances with different properties – In science class, we observed reactions between vinegar and baking soda that produced carbon dioxide gas.
Atoms – The basic units of matter, consisting of a nucleus surrounded by electrons – Atoms are the building blocks of all matter, and they combine to form molecules.
Marshmallows – Soft, sweet treats that can be used in experiments to demonstrate chemical changes – When marshmallows are heated, they undergo a chemical change and expand due to the release of gases.
Oxygen – A chemical element that is essential for combustion and respiration – Oxygen is necessary for burning, as it reacts with other substances to release energy.
Sugar – A sweet substance made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, often used in chemical experiments – When sugar is heated, it can caramelize, showing a chemical change as it breaks down into new substances.
Release – To set free energy or substances during a chemical reaction – During the reaction, the compound broke down to release gas into the air.
Dangerous – Capable of causing harm or injury, often used to describe certain chemicals or reactions – Some chemical reactions can be dangerous if not handled properly, as they might produce toxic gases.
