Sunday, 11 November 2007

Fun With Sodium Acetate

Sodium Acetate is the main constituent in pocket hand warmers.

Heating crystals of Sodium Acetate Trihydrate to 100°C, mixing them with water and cooling causes them to form a super-saturated liquid that is somewhat unstable.

A simple touch of a finger is all it takes to cause the liquid to crystallise, in quite a spectacular manner.