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Chemistry LibreTexts

Feather Exposion

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When solid, dry nitrogen triiodide is gently touched with a feather, a sharp explosion and a puff of violet smoke (I2 vapor) occur.

Introduction

Reactions

Making nitrogen triiodide (NI3) involves several reactions:

NH3 + H2O + I2 -> NH4I + HOI

NH3 + 3HOI -> NH3·NI3 + 3H2O

NH3 + 2HOI -> NHI3 + 2H2O

NH3 +3HOI -> NI3 + 3H2O

The decomposition (explosion) of nitrogen triiodide occurs via this reaction:

8 NH3·NI3 (s) -> 5 N2 (g) + 6 NH4I (s) + 9 I2 (s)

Safety

Handle only when wet! Use ear protection. Be careful with this stuff.


Feather Exposion is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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