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From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag)
Newsgroups: net.misc,net.physics
Subject: Re: Hydrogen (isn't flammible?!?)
Message-ID: <708@mhuxt.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 25-Mar-85 15:15:29 EST
Article-I.D.: mhuxt.708
Posted: Mon Mar 25 15:15:29 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Mar-85 04:51:12 EST
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
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Xref: watmath net.misc:7645 net.physics:2311

> > I saw a film somewhere (whose name I forget) about using hydrogen as
> > a fuel. It seems that John Q. Public isn't ready for it -- street
> > interviews showed that everybody thought of the Hindenburg.
> > Laura Creighton
> > utzoo!laura
> The Hindenburg used helium instead of hydrogen. Helium is 
> considerable more flammable. Germany had used it because
> there was an embargo of hydrogen against it.
> 					Bob Crowley
> 					ihlpm!crowley
     Wrong!  Helium is completely non-burnable, as its outer electron shell
is completely filled, it is a noble gas, extremely reluctant to combine 
with anything, under any circumstances.  As the Hindenburg blew up, it
must have been filled with something flammible, presumably hydrogen.
     As a way to verify this, the next time you see a kid with a helium
balloon, just poke it with a lit cigarette or a match, and observe that
while the balloon breaks, the gas inside doesn't ignite.  (But watch out
for your ankles, as some kids resent this type of experimenting.)
-- 
Jeff Sonntag
ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j
    "War is peace."-the ministry of truth