"Carbid Schieten" in the Netherlands

Dutch kids having fun.

Carbide is a rocky material, called CaC2 in the language of people like my girlfriend. It's made of coke and slacked lime, by heating the two in an electric oven. It used to be used in eg. carbide lamps or to make acetylene gas which can be used for welding.

Right, the whole idea is contained in this: CaC2(s) + 2H20(1)---- HCCH(9) + Ca(OH)2(s), which basically means, that if you put water with the carbide it produces (amongst something else which I haven't got a slightest idea what it might be (ask my girlfriend, she should know)) acetylene gas; an explosive gas!

Now you take a milkcan (with a nicely fitting lid) and drill a tiny hole in the back of the milkcan. Now all you need is something like a torch, or alternatively attach in some way (consult someone about this with who does knows what he is doing...) a nut (and they say Dutch words are silly...) over the hole on the back and get some firecrackers which fit the nut and get lighter. Oh, and fill a empty bottle or something with water. That's all really, so here we go...

Further details and disclaimers at Carbidbus.