the Pharoah’s Serpent
The following video shows two reactions: the decomposition of ammonium dichromate and the combustion reaction of mercury (II) thiocyanate. When heat is brought in, th orange powder (ammonium), forms nitrogen, gas, water and ammonium oxide, which is the dark powder that looks like the volcano. The tentacle looking things are actually what happens when heat is brought to mecury thiocyanate. The white solid stretches when it’s heated to become a dark, tentacle-like mass due to its decomposition to carbon nitride. Also, sulfur dioxide and mercury sulfide are produced. This reaction is nicknamed the “Pharoah’s Serpent” and was sold in stores as fireworks until people realized it’s toxic. The video is here
