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Topic: Project help - Big Hero 6 "Pink Explosion"  (Read 9454 times)

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Offline Firstbase21

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Project help - Big Hero 6 "Pink Explosion"
« on: March 07, 2015, 07:15:12 PM »
Alright, I really could use your guy's help here. I'm taking a class called 'The Science of
Science-Fiction' and the final project is the review of the science involved in a chosen
science-fiction movie both good and bad. I chose Big Hero 6. There's one scene in particular
that I'd like this board's help with.

Towards the beginning of the film, as Hiro explores his brother's lab for the first time, he
meets Honey Lemon. She is in the middle of an experiment involving a giant ball (400
pounds) of Tungsten carbide. She then creates a spray-able solution consisting of:
"a dash of perchloric acid, a smidge of cobalt, a hint of hydrogen peroxide, super heat it
to 500K and..." She then sprays the solution on the ball and electrocutes it to harden the
coat and pokes the ball causing it to explode into pink mist. She calls this chemical metal embritlement.

My question for this forum is if any of you guys know if this experiment is depicted
correctly, or if the directors of the film were just making it all up. Thanks for your time,
and I appreciate any help you guys can give me.



By the way the projects due on Monday ...

Offline Arkcon

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Re: Project help - Big Hero 6 "Pink Explosion"
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2015, 08:54:26 PM »
If you truly care to learn something, you should make an effort.  Its easy to look up each chemical named, and its properties.  You should question the usefulness of amounts mentioned as "smidge" and the like.  And you can look up the common properties of materials at 400K.  Even if the experiment isn't likely, its would be an interesting comparison to real wold metal embrittlement, although that's usually something we don't want.  Try also to see where this story is going with this technobabble, is it just for laughs, or does it work into the story in a meaningful way.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline Corribus

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Re: Project help - Big Hero 6 "Pink Explosion"
« Reply #2 on: March 08, 2015, 12:27:09 PM »
As an aside, it was a most excellent movie.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Offline billnotgatez

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Re: Project help - Big Hero 6 "Pink Explosion"
« Reply #3 on: March 08, 2015, 08:01:51 PM »
@Firstbase21
Have you seen this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embrittlement

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