[Mitch]

In the most recent issue of X-men, issue #193 Jan. 2007, there is an interesting new bullet used to fight one of the main villains in the current story arc. The bullets are fired by Mystique and lob into the water-based bad-guy. See image below.


Technically Hydrogen is neither a product of the reaction nor is it a by-product produced when the reaction is ran in the presence of water. But, if enough heat is radiated from the reaction in a short enough time in the presence of water, then yes, any surrounding water will probably decompose to it's constituent parts of hydrogen and oxygen gas. You can click the picture above to see the whole comic page to better appreciate the chemical implications of Thermite Bullets. 

Thermite Chemical Equation
Fe₂O₃(S) + 2Al(s) --> Al₂O₃(s) + 2Fe(s)

For more thermite action check out the Brainiac special below. Just keep in mind, Brainiac has been known to fake its science videos (to popularize science) to the grave dis-service of the actual science.



Finally, you can blame excimer of the coronene bloggers for this, but after navigating Jim Tour's website a bit more thoroughly I've discovered an interesting audio file of Tour explaining his adventures of collecting Porn magazines from gas stations and the pervertedness of homosexuality. Link to file: The True Meaning of Manhood
How the hell can professors keep making these racist derogatory comments with impunity?

Note 1: Thermite does not detonate! Maybe HMX can cover the process of detonation and what it really involves as a guest blogger one day.

Mitch

[lemonoman]

Boo-urns!

That's my first experience with a "brainiac" video that I can recall, and perhaps I was jaded by your comments Mitch, but that was crap.  I could have sworn I saw the liquid nitrogen canister tip off the shelf...not melt.  and I could have sworn the 'white hot liquid metal' was just the hood....not the engine pouring out of the bottom (which also explains why they never popped the hood, just showed the tiny hole in it)

[FeLiXe]

NaBH4 bullets would turn water into hydrogen

[Mitch]

Potassium bullets could work too I suppose.

[constant thinker]

Potassium bullets could work too I suppose.

Hmm potassium bullets...

That could be a new thing to market. 

I guess other alkali metals would work too.

[Edit] Actually since Li has a higher melting point, it may be the better out of all of them. Although doesn't it tend to catch fire?

[FeLiXe]

as I know from brainiac:
the farther down you go in the alkali metal group, the easier it becomes to blow up a trailer with it and the more instable the alkali metal is

I am sure lithium is easier to handle than potassium

[Borek]

This particular brainiac episode (with alkali metals) is KNOWN to be fake, although I have no links at hand.

[FeLiXe]

I still kind of like the episode even if the explosions are fake and even though they are just blowing up bathtubs and not trailers as I just noticed

at least the  principles are right

[Mitch]

But it's not right! An equal amount per mass of Cesium would not cause as much damage as an equal amount per mass of potassium. There would be a factor 4 less atoms of Cesium reacting compared to Potassium.

[FeLiXe]

I have to admit I didn't think of that

but you also have to think about kinetics. It's hard to cause damage if your reaction is too slow. potassium in water just burns, a glass container with Rubidium may well shatter and a glass container wth cesium will shatter

[Borek]

http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=8590.0

[monkeymonkeymonkey]

Thanks for the Jim Tour link. I can't decide which I like listening to on my way to work most, the bible scripture readings, his preachings on pornography and sexual ethics or his delightful lectures on organic chemistry. If I had some DJ skills I would mix some of these classic soundbytes on top of a bit of hip-hop.