Thread: Lightning

Hello, I'm Thomas Olson, I like to go by Tom Moose. I just thought up a question for all you science nerds. I want to take advantage of the free energy that our sky has to offer. I can think of many ways to do this, but there is one that jumps out at me. What if I wanted to make amonium nitrate? There are people in the world that just don't belong, I want to blow their minds.... apart.... Haha, I'm kidding. Seriously though, if I wanted to make amonium nitrate with lightning rods, is it possible, or would the lightning make it unusable? If it is possible, what would be the strategy involved? It seems I would need a highly conductive material. I imagine if I put it inside the lightning rod, nothing would happen to it as it would be conducted along the surface and not the inside. So if I were to put water and nitrogen gas in an inert container around the rod and sealed it, it would probably explode right? Would the gasses expand? Could I leave the top opened so the gasses would escape? What proportions of water and nitrogen gas would I need? Were there experiments like this done in the past? Any links?

Originally Posted by moose

I like to go by Tom Moose.

Even in season?! (either mating season or hunting season, your choice...)

Originally Posted by moose

What if I wanted to make amonium nitrate?

Considering that it can be used as an explosive; I certainly wouldn't want to contribute to making your own. But the method you have described would be exceptionally inefficient and tedious.

Experimenting with explosives...
What could possibly go wrong?

if I wanted to make amonium nitrate with lightning rods, is it possible, or would the lightning make it unusable?

So you want to make something that requires you to put the nitrate into a lightning rod? What would you need to do that for, it wouldn't explode if struck by lightning if that's what you want to accomplish. Lightning rods are grounded so that any energy they attract goes straight into the ground so whatever nitrates were inside wouldn't detonate. Even if you could detonate them the force wouldn't be that great to destroy much.

Originally Posted by cosmictraveler

if I wanted to make amonium nitrate with lightning rods, is it possible, or would the lightning make it unusable?

So you want to make something that requires you to put the nitrate into a lightning rod?

Nope, I want to make ammonium nitrate with a lightning rod from nitrogen gas and water. Now that I look at it, there are better ways. Instead of water, use hydrogen. I guess if I'm using nitrogen gas I would have to seal the containment vessel off so it doesn't escape. I suppose I could use some iron to conduct the lightning off the rod and into the gases, also acting as a catalyst. Now, am I getting closer? Or is this not possible due to my lack of understanding of science?

When I was a kid we used to make ammonium iodine. That's the touchiest explosive known. It's a wonder I've got all my fingers.