Ways of 'comforting' the dangers of young people in the 19th century

Inspired by science, the youth of the past performed creative experiments that were very creative but equally dangerous .

Have you ever tried to imagine, two centuries ago, how young people at that time did entertainment when there was no internet or video game? The answer will probably surprise you.

In the nineteenth century, young people enjoyed scientific experiments and considered it a very effective way of stress relief. Below is a list of the popular games of that time, cited in Endless Amusement, published in 1820.

However, you should not follow these experiments because it can put you at risk.

1. Create earthquakes and artificial volcanoes

The first favorite game in the nineteenth century was the artificial volcanic eruption after an earthquake. To perform this experiment, the material required is iron filings and pure sulfur powder.

The "young scientists" now grind the raw material in the form of fine powder, mix them together and stay away from the wet. Finally, they need to bury the mixture under a thin layer of soil and wait.

Iron filings .

. mixed with sulfur powder .

. then buried in the ground

The results obtained after the experiment: earthquakes, smoky smoke and iron mixture from boiling eruptions like real volcanoes

After 6-8 hours, the mixture will be smoky smoke, boiling mixture erupts from the ground like a real volcanic eruption.

2. Turn the fire stream

If volcanoes and earthquakes are not attractive enough, come to the second entertainment experiment of the nineteenth century youths - to build a stream of fire . Accordingly, the author of Endless Amusement has recorded very clearly how to create a stream almost exclusively in imagination.

First, the experimenter mixed phosphorus with zinc powder. Then pour this mixture into water and finally pour slowly into the mixture of a small amount of sulfuric acid (H ₂ SO ₄ ).

Where is the water pouring, phosphine gas is generated and ignited there

Results obtained almost immediately. Continuous chemical reactions occur and phosphine gas (PH ₃ ) is produced. This gas burns, encompassing the flow of acid being poured into the mixture, creating a feeling like a stream of fire.

After the experiment, we quickly obtained a stream of fire like this

However, this is a "foolish" scientific experiment because phosphine is a very toxic gas for human airways.

3. Burning fire in water

Another equally dangerous game is related to phosphorus called "burning in the water" . To perform this game, the tester needs to drop a few pieces of white phosphorus into the hot water and wait for it to melt. Then, boil water and add potassium chlorate (KClO ₃ ) and manganese dioxide (MnO ₂ ).

In boiling water, white phosphorus is easily dissolved

The mixture of potassium chlorate and manganese dioxide, when heated, releases oxygen. This gas is in contact with phosphorus, causing fires in the water environment. Even if not careful, intense phosphorus can explode, causing burns to the participants themselves.

When the presence of oxygen and phosphorus quickly ignites a very beautiful flame

4. Create bubbles that explode in the water

The last game has the name " Bubble burst". This is one of the rare games that Endless Amusement book author claims is not dangerous, but what describes how to do it is exactly the opposite.

Accordingly, this game needs to prepare a fused glass container. After that, the person poured molten glass into a basin of cold water. Meanwhile, molten glass almost solidifies immediately.

Melted glass is poured into cold water

And yet, because the temperature difference is so large, the glass block freezes immediately and explodes, shooting out of the water bowl and can cause injury to those standing nearby.

In the water, glass melted rapidly, condensing .

. and then cracks and explodes

** All of these experiments are based on real science, but they are very dangerous, easily causing injury if not done carefully and supervised. So, you absolutely should not follow the 'selfie' experiment above!