The answer is: it was partly right. Yes, a crystal of mercury fulminate would explode when slammed to the floor. However, the crystal resembled that of a big white crystal of methamphetamine, which isn’t what mercury fulminate normally looks like.
Is breaking bad scientifically accurate?
Here at Slate, it’s been called “TV’s Best Medical Drama Ever” for its realism, and The New Yorker has called its depiction of the meth trade “uncannily accurate.” The show’s scientific advisor, chemistry professor Donna Nelson, frequently gives interviews about the science behind the show, bolstering its reputation …
Can hydrofluoric acid dissolve a human?
Hydrofluoric acid is very nasty stuff, but it isn’t a strong acid. Even when dilute it will etch glass and ceramics, but it won’t dissolve or burn flesh.
Can you survive phosphine gas?
TIME COURSE: Adverse health effects generally occur within the first few hours following inhalation of phosphine. Cardiovascular complications may cause death within 12 to 24 hours following exposure. … Deaths that occur 24 hours after exposure are usually a result of liver or kidney failure.
How fast was Tory throwing a 50 gram bag?
To prevent anyone from getting blown up in the name of mythbusting, star Grant Imahara created a robot with a throwing arm to play Walt, and programmed it to toss 50 grams of mercury fulminate (the same amount used by Walt) at a speed of 60 MPH so it would hit the floor at about the same speed the average human can …
What did Walter White throw at the ground?
Bogus crystals
In anticipation of the negotiations not going to plan, Walt hasn’t actually given Tuco a bag of crystal meth but in fact crystals of ‘fulminate of mercury’ – a high explosive! He throws a crystal on the ground which detonates creating an almighty explosion.
What did Tuco give Walt fake money?
Tuco agrees to the payment as well as agreeing to a purchase for the next week, offering Walter $35,000 for the next pound of meth. Walt demands instead that Tuco buy two pounds of meth a week for $70,000.
How did Walt survive fulminated mercury?
Two of Breaking Bad’s most famous words (other than the title itself, and the name of protagonist Walter White), “fulminated mercury” resulted in quite the explosive stand-off between Heisenberg and drug kingpin, Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz). Walt cooks up the compound and passes it off as crystal meth, using a small …
What does fulminated mean in English?
transitive verb. : to utter or send out with denunciation fulminate a decree.
Can crystals explode?
Associate Professor of Chemistry Panče Naumov studies a fascinating characteristic of crystals: when exposed to UV light, the crystals explode and jump. Naumov has been studying a fascinating characteristic of crystals: when exposed to UV light, the crystals explode and jump. …
Where does liquid mercury come from?
Mercury, a liquid metal – once widely referred to as quick silver – is a naturally occurring element released by volcanoes and the weathering of rocks. But most of the mercury that is responsible for polluting Minnesota lakes and the fish that live in them originates as air pollution from coal-burning power plants.
Why would you put mercury in the tip of a bullet?
Mercury has, in the real world, been used to increase the terminal effect of hollow point bullets (especially a the relatively low velocity of pistol bullets).
What did Walt throw?
Walter White explaining his “meth” to Tuco. Mercury(II) fulminate, or fulminated mercury is an explosive substance with the chemical formula Hg(CNO)2. The substance was used as an example of an explosive chemical by Walter White during chemistry class in the episode “Crazy Handful of Nothin'””.
Why did Walt punch the paper towel dispenser?
For the first time in Walt’s life, he found something he was good at, but it happened to be extremely dangerous for him and his loved ones. It’s likely that Walt targeted the towel dispenser with his outburst because he saw his reflection on the metal.
What acid did they use in breaking bad?
In a gruesome scene, Jesse adds hydrofluoric acid (HF) to dissolve the body. It’s a useful acid to have in any lab because of its unusual chemistry. It dissolves glass and so has to be stored in plastic (PTFE or Teflon) bottles.
What 4 items did the acid supposedly eat through Mythbusters?
At a lab at UC-Berkeley, Adam and Jamie observed as small portions of hydrofluoric acid were poured onto samples of materials that would have been present in the bathroom: steel, wood, linoleum, drywall, cast iron, ceramic tile, and pig flesh (as an analog for the human body).
What happens if you inhale phosphine gas?
Acute (short-term) inhalation exposure to phosphine may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, burning substernal pain, nausea, vomiting, cough, labored breathing, chest tightness, pulmonary irritation, pulmonary edema, and tremors in humans. Convulsions may ensue after an apparent recovery.
How do you neutralize phosphine?
In this reaction, phosphine gas is trapped and neutralised by boric acid. The resulting polar reaction product seems to be excretable by the body due to hydrogen bonding with water molecules. Thus, boric acid is proposed as a possible efficient non-toxic antidote for phosphine gas poisoning.
Who was Hank’s snitch?
Krazy-8, who got his nickname from Lalo while playing poker in the beginning of Season 5, is a trusted drug distributor and employee. But Breaking Bad fans know that eventually he’ll become an informant for the DEA, though it’s never explained why he flipped.
Can you dissolve a body in a bathtub?
Dissolving a Body in Lye
If the lye mixture is heated to boiling, tissue can be dissolved in a matter of hours. … Lye is used to remove clogs in drains, so it could have been poured into a bathtub and rinsed away, plus it is much more readily available than hydrofluoric acid.
Can Stomach acid dissolve diamond?
There is no water-based liquid which can decompose diamonds at room temperature. If you put stomach acid in a stainless steel pressure tank and heated it to 200-300C, you might dissolve a little of your diamond. Concentrated Phosphoric Acid dissolves glass and many rocks at 200C, and may have some effect on diamond.