NITROGEN TRllODlDE EXPLOSIONS

Action:
Walking into a room, a person is startled by sharp crackling sounds at
his feet as he steps on small pieces of paper. Touching the paper
lightly with a meter stick brings about small but sharp explosions.

You Need:
Five grams iodine; three grams potassium iodide; 20 ml. concentrated
ammonium hydroxide; filter paper; funnel.

Why:
Nitrogen triiodide when dry explodes with the slightest disturbance.

How:
Stir the potassium iodide and iodine together in a beaker with 50 ml.
of water. Add the ammonium hydroxide with stirring until no more
precipitate forms. Filter and spread a thin layer of the wet solid on
several filter papers. Break the filter papers into many small pieces
and allow to dry for several hours. On drying, the paper is extremely
sensitive to touch and will explode violently with the slightest
disturbance.

Caution:
The compound nitrogen triiodide, NH,.NI:,, can be safely handled
when wet. Spreading a thin layer of the wet material on several pieces
of filter paper lessens the violence of each explosion. It is not a
powerful explosive, rather a sensitive one. The touch of a feather can
set it off. UNDER NO CONDITION ALLOW ANY SIZEABLE
QUANTITY OF THE DRY MATERIAL TO ACCUMULATE.