• Question: what was the most dangerous experiment

    Asked by 352grcb52 to Alan, Becky, Jo, Sankar, Sarah on 6 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: Jo Sadler

      Jo Sadler answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      A lot of the chemistry experiments I do are potentially quite dangerous. I routinely use toxic compounds, which if not handled properly could have serious effects on my and my colleague’s health. Fortunately, however, we have all been trained to handle them safely so the risk is very low indeed!

      It’s hard to pick the most dangerous one – maybe making HCl gas using salt and neat acid..!

    • Photo: Sankar Meenakshisundaram

      Sankar Meenakshisundaram answered on 6 Mar 2015:

      Any experiment can become a dangerous experiment if you do not handle it properly. It is like driving car, it can be very dangerous if you don’t know how to drive properly and if you know driving properly, it is safe. Similarly, it is entirely up to the person who is handling the reaction. Chemicals react in the same way (as written in the book), human beings do not “react” in the same way. 🙂 If you understand the chemistry it is very easy to handle any chemical, however “dangerous” they are.
      I worked in an industry where they produce 98% sulphuric acid (several 1000 tones per day). I had to fill the trucks with concentrated sulphuric acid using a pipe. 20 tonnes (20,000 kg) of sulphuric acid in 10 minutes. That was one of the scariest moment (not an experiment though). Though I had all the protective equipments, still it was a bit scary 🙂

    • Photo: Sarah Kirk

      Sarah Kirk answered on 7 Mar 2015:

      The most dangerous experiment…ever?!

      I think that the testing of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear bombs or biological weapons are probably the most dangerous in terms of their ability to wipe out huge numbers of people on the earth.

      Makes my chemistry seem very safe!

    • Photo: Alan McCue

      Alan McCue answered on 7 Mar 2015:

      Hmmm ever… – I suppose the first time someone was sent into space was quite a dangerous experiment because we didn’t really know if it would work or if the person could get home. I guess this would be quite dangerous.

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