Experimental demonstration of an exothermic reaction

This lecture presents a highly exothermic reaction that generates a lot of heat, reaching a high enough temperature to melt iron. The reaction involves aluminum and iron oxide producing aluminum oxide and iron, commonly used for welding railway tracks. The energy released transforms solid iron into liquid and back to solid. The enthalpy of reaction is discussed, along with the electron exchange between aluminum and iron oxide. The stoichiometric preparation of reactants is detailed, leading to a slow but spectacular reaction initiated by an auxiliary reaction. The setup involves mixing aluminum and iron oxide powders, adding a potassium permanganate wick, and igniting it with glycerol to produce molten iron collected in a container. Safety precautions are taken throughout the experiment.