What makes poppers pop

The sand or gravel isn't propelled very far, so there isn't danger of the particles acting as projectiles. Generally, Pop Its and related products are considered safe for use by children. While poisonous fulminates of other metals would produce a similar effect, they aren't used in commercial products. Fulminates are easily prepared by reacting metal with concentrated nitric acid.

You don't want to go making this in any quantity yourself because the fulminate is shock sensitive and pressure sensitive. However, if you decide to make do-it-yourself Pop Its, the silver fulminate is more stable if flour or starch is added to the crystals during the filtering process. You can coat sand with silver fulminate, wrap it in paper, and use it in the traditional way.

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Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. Chemistry Expert. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Pop Its consist of a tiny amount of silver fulminate 0. When the device is thrown, stepped on, or burned, it produces a sharp popping sound.

Pop Its and other bang snaps are considered safe. In some locations, Pop Its and Christmas crackers a comparable product are considered safe for use by children. However, some U. In the UK, fun snaps may only be purchased by people age 16 or older.

Of course, the fun way to deactivate Pop Its is to throw them. All you do it react silver metal with concentrated nitric acid to make silver fulminate.

The only tricky part of the process is filtering the solid silver fulminate out of the liquid without accidentally detonating it. Silver fulminate is pressure-sensitive, shock-sensitive, heat-sensitive, electricity-sensitive, and active in water.

Even the weight of silver fulminate crystals on top of each other can cause them to explode.