The National City Summerfest, 2019 : A Fan Fiction Reposting (and Update)

Stewart,

Oh yes, I know all about nitroglycerin, being of that generation raised on 1950s westerns! Also from my HS chemistry class.

Fun story. Keep 'em coming!

That's what I expected!
I have many students from our Medical Academy in my classes. They're familiar with nitroglycerin, but only as a potentially lifesaving heart medication (vasodilator) that every ER will have on hand at all times.
From the BBC, here's how to synthesize nitroglycerin - and what it can do:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r17czTWHFmU&fbclid=IwAR1GxXfL0Md1j-112IeM5yaS18FrsS6g7B_koPbqTVjhu4CoPAvPLC_l8uQ

By the way, remember how in the old Westerns, the guy would always light the fuse to the "nitro" with his cigar?

Superbill,

Just out of curiosity, were you aware that nitroglycerin is a sensitive high explosive as well as a heart medication? Most of my students only know of the compound as a heart medicine (if they've heard of it at all, that is). But those of us who grew up with the classic Hollywood Western movies have seen it used an explosive on screen (for mining and construction operations). I figured Kara would know that, because we know she has an affinity for those old-time Hollywood movies.
In fact, nitroglycerin was widely used in the late 1800s, because it's more than three times as powerful as gunpowder. But also greatly feared, because it's very sensitive to shock and friction, especially if it gets warm. But then it was replaced as an industrial explosive by dynamite, and is now really only used in cardiology (where it remains an essential medication for many).







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