Chemical reaction of manganese and glycerin helps to light a fire without matches

Most likely, many of you have heard about the rather spectacular interaction of manganese with glycerin. The experience is actually not complicated, but there are a few subtleties, because manganese and glycerin are quite capricious things.

What you will need for the experiment:

• regular pharmacy manganese
• regular chemist’s glycerin
• pipette
• a tile or any other heat resistant trivet

Pour some manganese dioxide on a heat-resistant base. Be careful not to spill it, it is very difficult to remove later and get rid of the crimson stains!

Use the tip of a spoon to make a small depression in a hill of manganese.

Using a pipette, carefully drop 2-3 drops of glycerin into it.

We wait 20-30 seconds.

Then there is a violent reaction of manganese with glycerin – a quick bright flash.

That’s pretty much it. Now you know how to light a fire without matches.

If you want to make this experience more effective, you can put a piece of thin paper, such as a napkin or toilet paper, on the tile beforehand. And already on top of it sprinkle manganese. Then you get a small fire.

Only don’t forget about rules of safety and be careful with fire!