Chemistry lesson - Stink Bombs !
Hi all
My teenage daughter has developed an unhealthy interest in how to make stink bombs. I'm sure she's has some ulterior motive for this as chemistry is not usually her thing.
However, it's got me interested and I seem to remember that hydrogen sulphide was used mainly for this purpose, this was created by mixing a weak solution of sulphuric acid with iron filings. I had some of these 'ingredients' lying around and thus set to work. The reaction worked fine but the hydrogen sulphide gas produced wasn't particularly smelly, not as I seem to remember it from my schooldays. I used a 10% sulphuric solution (watered down from my 98% I keep in stock for making EDTA holography plate bleach)
The other method I remember was to cut the heads off safety matches and mix these with ammonia, thus creating a reaction with the sulphur in the match heads and the ammonia = ammonium sulphide gas. Sadly I haven't got any ammonia lying around the place so I am unable to test this and verify its smelliness.
Do any of you chemistry buffs remember how to make the very best stink bombs (bad egg smell) as it's well over 30 years since I did this at school.
Cheers
Jem
Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001