ok this is actually a school project

I used alot of pringles can

i poked a hole on the metal side, and also another on the plastic lid

according to the instructions given by my teacher

1. I first remove the lid, use tape to cover the hole on the metal side, put the can horizontally into a bucket of water to get rid all of the air inside the can
2. then i would fill a triangle shaped cylinder with water and calcium rocks, the triangle shaped cylinder will have a rubber stopper at the top with a rubber tube
3. then i angle the pringles can vertically with with metal side facing up but the bottom still under water so no air can get inside
4. the calcium rocks and water will produce a gas then i put the rubber tube inside the can from the bottom, in the water
5. when the can is filled with the gas(you know it when bubbles burst out from the bottom of the can), i cover the bottom of the can with the plastic lid
6. then i take the can out of the water(holding it vertically 90 degrees) and place it somewhere without covering the hole on the plastic lid
7. now this is the dangerous part, i remove the tape from the metal side and light the gas with a match or lighter(just put the fire near the hole and it'll light it)
8. i wait for about 2 minutes then it goes bang goes straight up making dents on the ceiling.

I just want to know how the chemistry works here, discuss

it go boom

H2 gas rises from the water displacing the air found in your pringles can (since it is lighter and wants to go up)
then when you light it it mixes with O2 to produce H2O gas which produces pressure directed downward (path of least resistance) so the rocket goes up

i dont really understand that

let me clarify

the pringles can is sitting on a table vertically with the metal side facing up
hydrogen gas is in the can
i light the gas by puting the fire near the hole at the top
like that


what i want to know is the reactions inside the can
when the gas is lit, there will be a little screeching sound getting louder and louder and eventually the can will fly poping the plastic lid from the bottom

I told you... reaction inside the can is 2 H2 + O2 = 2 H2O
(hydrogen gas + oxygen gas = water gas)

edit: and change the D.O.B in your profile
I doubt you are 19

This post was edited by jbpellerin on Dec 11 2008 01:52pm

ok i kinda get it now

why am i not 19?

This post was edited by Potassium_LLD on Dec 11 2008 02:04pm

still in high school at 19?
and doing this kind of experiment?

oh nonono im not in high school anymore, i did this when i was in high school

it just came to my mind

i remember when i didn't remove all the air from the can and started filling with the h2 gas, it poped instantly after i lid the gas and almost killed someone's eye