Interesting that you should ask about provenance, Debbie! I did a little investigating, and MSN got it from a site called www.stupidvideos.com.

Are you surprised?

Eddie McGrath

Edward J. McGrath
Supervisor of Science
Red Clay Consolidated School District
1502 Spruce Avenue
Wilmington DE 19805

(302) 552-3768

We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrowed it from our children.

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Debbie M. Decker
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2015 12:06 PM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Liquid methane experiment in class

I saw this on Facebook last month but there was no provenance on the video so I couldn't make a stink.

As others have said, I would fire this teacher - on the spot. Incredibly stupid and incredibly dangerous.

Taking Eddie's suggestion, I provided similar feedback to MSN. There are other really interesting, and safe, demonstrations that can be used to illustrate the scientific point.

Debbie M. Decker, CCHO, ACS Fellow
Chair, Division of Chemical Health and Safety University of California, Davis
(530)754-7964
(530)304-6728
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu

Birkett's hypothesis: "Any chemical reaction that proceeds smoothly under normal conditions, can proceed violently in the presence of an idiot."

-----Original Message-----
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2015 7:18 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Liquid methane experiment in class

I think DCHAS members may want to be aware of this in case they have people who like to emulate Internet videos in the organization...

http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/wonder/liquid-methane-experiment-in-class/vi-AAaBJYz

This teacher leaves his students treating the floor like lava while leaving them in awe and he shows them what a little bit of liquid methane will do when lit on fire and poured onto the floor. Perhaps there's an opportunity to develop a Job Hazard Analysis of this demonstration...

- Ralph

Ralph Stuart
secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Secretary
Division of Chemical Health and Safety
American Chemical Society

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