What is in your cup?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by TGS

Isn't it also used in the manufacture of gunpowder?

Yes. Gunpowder's made from Saltpeter, Sulphur and Charcoal.

My (older) brothers looked up how to make gunpowder in an old Encyclopaedia Britannica, got the Saltpeter and Flowers of Sulphur from the local chemist, and mixed up some themselves. All good fun, laying powder trails and seeing how fast they'd burn, until they decided to see what happened if they put some in a hole in the ground. The result (unsurprisingly) was a rather loud explosion. It was the visit by a policeman that evening, who explained that the manufacture of gunpowder without a licence was illegal that put a stop to the experimentation....

[beppe]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

oh yeah, I've had it. good, but not quite the show stopper I had expected

As coffee goes, I never had anything so good. Or so expensive.

[beppe]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

fertilizer what? saltpetre IS fertilizer. bat guano

Potassium nitrate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Potassium nitrate[1]


Other names[hide]
Saltpetre
Nitrate of potash
Vesta powder
Identifiers
CAS number 7757-79-1
PubChem 24434
ChemSpider 22843
UN number 1486
RTECS number TT3700000
Properties
Molecular formula KNO3
Molar mass 101.103 g/mol
Appearance white solid
Odor odorless
Density 2.109 g/cm3 (16 °C)
Melting point
334 °C
Boiling point
400 °C decomp.
Solubility in water 133 g/L (0 °C)
360 g/L (25 °C)
2470 g/L (100 °C)
Solubility slightly soluble in ethanol
soluble in glycerol, ammonia
Structure
Crystal structure Orthorhombic, Aragonite
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
EU Index Not listed
EU classification Oxidant (O)
NFPA 704
010OX
Flash point Non-flammable
LD50 3750 mg/kg
Related compounds
Other anions Potassium nitrite
Other cations Lithium nitrate
Sodium nitrate
Rubidium nitrate
Caesium nitrate
Related compounds Potassium sulfate
Potassium chloride
Supplementary data page
Structure and
properties n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic
data Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
(what is this?) (verify)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre (saltpeter in American English), from Medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt of Petra" and nitrate of potash. The name Peru saltpetre or Chile saltpetre (American Peru saltpeter or Chile saltpeter) refers not to potassium nitrate but to a similar chemical sodium nitrate. Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, rocket propellants and fireworks. When used as a food additive in the European Union, the compound is referred to as E252.
Contents [hide]
1 History of production
2 Properties
3 Uses
4 Pharmacology
5 See also
6 References
7 Bibliography
8 External links
[edit]History of production

The earliest known complete purification process for potassium nitrate was outlined in 1270 by the Arab chemist and engineer Hasan al-Rammah of Syria in his book al-Furusiyya wa al-Manasib al-Harbiyya ('The Book of Military Horsemanship and Ingenious War Devices'), where he first described the use of potassium carbonate (in the form of wood ashes).[2]
Into the 19th century, niter-beds were prepared by mixing manure with either mortar or wood ashes, common earth and organic materials such as straw to give porosity to a compost pile typically 1.5×2×5 meters in size.[3] The heap was usually under a cover from the rain, kept moist with urine, turned often to accelerate the decomposition and leached with water after approximately one year. Dung-heaps were a particularly common source: ammonia from the decomposition of urea and other nitrogenous materials would undergo bacterial oxidation to produce various nitrates, primarily calcium nitrate, which could be converted to potassium nitrate by the addition of potash from wood ashes.
A variation on this process, using only urine, straw and wood ash, is described by LeConte: Stale urine is placed in a container of straw hay and is allowed to sour for many months, after which water is used to wash the resulting chemical salts from the straw. The process is completed by filtering the liquid through wood ashes and air-drying in the sun.[3]
During this period, the major natural sources of potassium nitrate were the deposits crystallizing from cave walls and the accumulations of bat guano in caves. Traditionally guano was the source used in Laos for the manufacture of gunpowder for Bang Fai rockets.
During the 19th century and until around World War I, potassium nitrate was produced on an industrial scale by the Birkeland–Eyde process. Today practically all nitrates are produced from the oxidation of ammonia made by the Haber process.
[edit]Properties

Potassium nitrate has an orthorhombic crystal structure at room temperature, which transforms to a trigonal system at 129 °C. Upon heating to temperatures above 560 °C, it decomposes into potassium nitrite, generating oxygen:
2 KNO3 → 2 KNO2 + O2
Potassium nitrate is moderately soluble in water, but its solubility increases with temperature (see infobox). The aqueous solution is almost neutral, exhibiting pH 6.2 at 14 °C for a 10% solution of commercial powder. It is not very hygroscopic, absorbing about 0.03% water in 80% relative humidity over 50 days. It is insoluble in alcohol and is not poisonous; it can react explosively with reducing agents, but it is not explosive on its own.[4]
[edit]Uses

Potassium nitrate is mainly used in fertilizers, as a source of nitrogen and potassium – two of the macro nutrients for plants. When used by itself, it has an NPK rating of 13-0-44. Potassium nitrate is also one of the three components of black powder, along with powdered charcoal (substantially carbon) and sulfur, where it acts as an oxidizer.
In the process of food preservation, potassium nitrate has been a common ingredient of salted meat since the Middle Ages,[5] but its use has been mostly discontinued due to inconsistent results compared to more modern nitrate and nitrite compounds. Even so, saltpetre is still used in some food applications, such as charcuterie and the brine used to make corned beef.[6] Sodium nitrate (and nitrite) have mostly supplanted potassium nitrate's culinary usage, as they are more reliable in preventing bacterial infection than saltpetre. All three give cured salami and corned beef their characteristic pink hue.
Potassium nitrate is an efficient oxidizer, which produces a lilac flame upon burning due to the presence of potassium. It is therefore used in amateur rocket propellants and in several fireworks such as smoke bombs.[7] It is also added to pre-rolled cigarettes to maintain an even burn of the tobacco.[8]
Potassium nitrate is the main component (usually about 98%) of tree stump remover, as it accelerates the natural decomposition of the stump.[9] It is also commonly used in the heat treatment of metals as a solvent in the post-wash. The oxidizing, water solubility and low cost make it an ideal short-term rust inhibitor.
[edit]Pharmacology

Potassium nitrate can be found in some toothpastes for sensitive teeth.[10] Recently, the use of potassium nitrate in toothpastes for treating sensitive teeth has increased dramatically, despite the fact that it has not been conclusively shown to reduce dentine hypersensitivity.[11]
Potassium nitrate successfully combats high blood pressure and was once used as a hypotensive. Other nitrates and nitrites such as glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin), amyl nitrite and isosorbide derivatives are still used to relieve angina.
Potassium nitrate was once thought to induce impotence, and is still falsely rumored to be in institutional food (such as military fare) as an anaphrodisiac; however, there is no scientific evidence for such properties.[12][13]

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes. Gunpowder's made from Saltpeter, Sulphur and Charcoal.

My (older) brothers looked up how to make gunpowder in an old Encyclopaedia Britannica, got the Saltpeter and Flowers of Sulphur from the local chemist, and mixed up some themselves. All good fun, laying powder trails and seeing how fast they'd burn, until they decided to see what happened if they put some in a hole in the ground. The result (unsurprisingly) was a rather loud explosion. It was the visit by a policeman that evening, who explained that the manufacture of gunpowder without a licence was illegal that put a stop to the experimentation....

most of us in my family have grown up around gunpowder including some of the relatively minor mishaps that go along with them. one of the best parenting lessons I got was from my Uncle when one of my cousins was about 8. he had a pile of gunpowder that he was pulling little bits out of (varying the amounts), and hitting with a hammer. I asked my Uncle if we shouldn't stop him. "nope" he said. "this is a little lesson with a big impact that will go a long way." shortly after my cousin hit everything just right to have it go FLASH!!

BAM!!!!!!

his eyebrows and some of his hair singed off, he may have peed his pants, but he had a healthy respect for gunpowder, reloading equipment and the like thereafter!

I learned that sometimes hard headed children need a little bit of a wake up call when you understand the environment

Originally Posted by beppe

As coffee goes, I never had anything so good. Or so expensive.

yep! fortunatley I wasn't paying for it!

[TGS]

Originally Posted by beppe

Potassium nitrate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Potassium nitrate[1]


Other names[hide]
Saltpetre
Nitrate of potash
Vesta powder
Identifiers
CAS number 7757-79-1
PubChem 24434
ChemSpider 22843
UN number 1486
RTECS number TT3700000
Properties
Molecular formula KNO3
Molar mass 101.103 g/mol
Appearance white solid
Odor odorless
Density 2.109 g/cm3 (16 °C)
Melting point
334 °C
Boiling point
400 °C decomp.
Solubility in water 133 g/L (0 °C)
360 g/L (25 °C)
2470 g/L (100 °C)
Solubility slightly soluble in ethanol
soluble in glycerol, ammonia
Structure
Crystal structure Orthorhombic, Aragonite
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
EU Index Not listed
EU classification Oxidant (O)
NFPA 704
010OX
Flash point Non-flammable
LD50 3750 mg/kg
Related compounds
Other anions Potassium nitrite
Other cations Lithium nitrate
Sodium nitrate
Rubidium nitrate
Caesium nitrate
Related compounds Potassium sulfate
Potassium chloride
Supplementary data page
Structure and
properties n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic
data Phase behaviour
Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data UV, IR, NMR, MS
(what is this?) (verify)
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references
Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula KNO3. It occurs as a mineral niter and is a natural solid source of nitrogen. Its common names include saltpetre (saltpeter in American English), from Medieval Latin sal petræ: "stone salt" or possibly "Salt of Petra" and nitrate of potash. The name Peru saltpetre or Chile saltpetre (American Peru saltpeter or Chile saltpeter) refers not to potassium nitrate but to a similar chemical sodium nitrate. Major uses of potassium nitrate are in fertilizers, rocket propellants and fireworks. When used as a food additive in the European Union, the compound is referred to as E252.
Contents [hide]
1 History of production
2 Properties
3 Uses
4 Pharmacology
5 See also
6 References
7 Bibliography
8 External links
[edit]History of production

The earliest known complete purification process for potassium nitrate was outlined in 1270 by the Arab chemist and engineer Hasan al-Rammah of Syria in his book al-Furusiyya wa al-Manasib al-Harbiyya ('The Book of Military Horsemanship and Ingenious War Devices'), where he first described the use of potassium carbonate (in the form of wood ashes).[2]
Into the 19th century, niter-beds were prepared by mixing manure with either mortar or wood ashes, common earth and organic materials such as straw to give porosity to a compost pile typically 1.5×2×5 meters in size.[3] The heap was usually under a cover from the rain, kept moist with urine, turned often to accelerate the decomposition and leached with water after approximately one year. Dung-heaps were a particularly common source: ammonia from the decomposition of urea and other nitrogenous materials would undergo bacterial oxidation to produce various nitrates, primarily calcium nitrate, which could be converted to potassium nitrate by the addition of potash from wood ashes.
A variation on this process, using only urine, straw and wood ash, is described by LeConte: Stale urine is placed in a container of straw hay and is allowed to sour for many months, after which water is used to wash the resulting chemical salts from the straw. The process is completed by filtering the liquid through wood ashes and air-drying in the sun.[3]
During this period, the major natural sources of potassium nitrate were the deposits crystallizing from cave walls and the accumulations of bat guano in caves. Traditionally guano was the source used in Laos for the manufacture of gunpowder for Bang Fai rockets.
During the 19th century and until around World War I, potassium nitrate was produced on an industrial scale by the Birkeland–Eyde process. Today practically all nitrates are produced from the oxidation of ammonia made by the Haber process.
[edit]Properties

Potassium nitrate has an orthorhombic crystal structure at room temperature, which transforms to a trigonal system at 129 °C. Upon heating to temperatures above 560 °C, it decomposes into potassium nitrite, generating oxygen:
2 KNO3 → 2 KNO2 + O2
Potassium nitrate is moderately soluble in water, but its solubility increases with temperature (see infobox). The aqueous solution is almost neutral, exhibiting pH 6.2 at 14 °C for a 10% solution of commercial powder. It is not very hygroscopic, absorbing about 0.03% water in 80% relative humidity over 50 days. It is insoluble in alcohol and is not poisonous; it can react explosively with reducing agents, but it is not explosive on its own.[4]
[edit]Uses

Potassium nitrate is mainly used in fertilizers, as a source of nitrogen and potassium – two of the macro nutrients for plants. When used by itself, it has an NPK rating of 13-0-44. Potassium nitrate is also one of the three components of black powder, along with powdered charcoal (substantially carbon) and sulfur, where it acts as an oxidizer.
In the process of food preservation, potassium nitrate has been a common ingredient of salted meat since the Middle Ages,[5] but its use has been mostly discontinued due to inconsistent results compared to more modern nitrate and nitrite compounds. Even so, saltpetre is still used in some food applications, such as charcuterie and the brine used to make corned beef.[6] Sodium nitrate (and nitrite) have mostly supplanted potassium nitrate's culinary usage, as they are more reliable in preventing bacterial infection than saltpetre. All three give cured salami and corned beef their characteristic pink hue.
Potassium nitrate is an efficient oxidizer, which produces a lilac flame upon burning due to the presence of potassium. It is therefore used in amateur rocket propellants and in several fireworks such as smoke bombs.[7] It is also added to pre-rolled cigarettes to maintain an even burn of the tobacco.[8]
Potassium nitrate is the main component (usually about 98%) of tree stump remover, as it accelerates the natural decomposition of the stump.[9] It is also commonly used in the heat treatment of metals as a solvent in the post-wash. The oxidizing, water solubility and low cost make it an ideal short-term rust inhibitor.
[edit]Pharmacology

Potassium nitrate can be found in some toothpastes for sensitive teeth.[10] Recently, the use of potassium nitrate in toothpastes for treating sensitive teeth has increased dramatically, despite the fact that it has not been conclusively shown to reduce dentine hypersensitivity.[11]
Potassium nitrate successfully combats high blood pressure and was once used as a hypotensive. Other nitrates and nitrites such as glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerin), amyl nitrite and isosorbide derivatives are still used to relieve angina.
Potassium nitrate was once thought to induce impotence, and is still falsely rumored to be in institutional food (such as military fare) as an anaphrodisiac; however, there is no scientific evidence for such properties.[12][13]

Thanks

[kennyc]

Potassium Nitrate -- quite the wonder compound:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate

[SneakySnake]

@beppe. you are the ONLY Italian I know that actually likes American coffee. Everyone else moans about how awful it is. Maybe they were only exposed to Folgers?

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

@beppe. you are the ONLY Italian I know that actually likes American coffee. Everyone else moans about how awful it is. Maybe they were only exposed to Folgers?

none of the big commercial brands are any good. Folgers just ahs a really catchy jingle.

there are so many small roasters now, it is kind of like micro-brews for beer. lots of choices!

[happy_terd]

When you get to a certain age you lose your sense of taste. I think that is why all these old people drink Folgers.

If you cant taste the coffee anyways I guess one should go for price.

[kindlekitten]

*ouch*!

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by happy_terd

When you get to a certain age you lose your sense of taste. I think that is why all these old people drink Folgers.

If you cant taste the coffee anyways I guess one should go for price.

One more crack like that and you're gonna' get a fat lip!




Uh, never mind! I see someone's beat me to it!

It's Tuesday, so... Bite me!

[happy_terd]

[SneakySnake]

Hey its Wednesday! and man terd you really need to go la dentist. I thought Americans all had perfect teeth. They do on TV anyway. Yours look a bit like mine only scarier.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by happy_terd

Aaaarrrrrrrgggggggggggaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuueee!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by happy_terd

EEEEEuuuWWWWWHHH!

DON'T bite me.