Exploding trousers
Encyclopedia
In New Zealand
in the 1930s, farmers reportedly had trouble with exploding trousers as a result of attempts to wipe out the weed ragwort.
Farmers had been spraying sodium chlorate
, a government recommended weedkiller, onto the ragwort, and some of the spray had ended up on their clothes. Sodium chlorate is a strong oxidizing agent, and reacted with the organic fibres (i.e. the wool and the cotton) of the clothes. Reports had farmers' trousers variously smoldering and bursting into flame, particularly when exposed to heat or naked flames. One report had trousers that were hanging on a washing line starting to smoke. There were also several reports of trousers exploding while farmers were wearing them, causing severe burns.
The history was written up by James Watson of Massey University
in a widely reported article, "The Significance of Mr. Richard Buckley's Exploding Trousers", and which later won him an Ig Nobel Prize
investigated the idea that trousers could explode based on the events of New Zealand in the 1930s.
Experimenters tested four substances on 100% cotton overalls:
Each of these were put to four different ignition methods: flame
, radiant heat
, friction
and impact. Although not naming "the herbicide" as sodium chlorate
, they confirmed that trousers would indeed vigorously combust due to flame, radiant heat and impact, though their friction tests did not cause ignition. However, combustion
is not the same as an explosion
, which requires compression and a detonation. Even so, a person witnessing such an event (especially if he or she were wearing the trousers) would likely describe the event as an explosion.
The tests also revealed that none of the other three substances caused combustion of the trousers, thus indicating that sodium chlorate was almost certainly responsible for the events that occurred.
ABC
's The Science Show described exploding trousers as "the scenario for a Goon Show", and, in an example of art imitating life, it actually was. The Goons
wrote a script about a chemical which "when applied to the tail of a military soldier shirt, is tasteless, colourless, and odourless" but that "The moment the wearer sits down, the heat from his body causes the chemical to explode.".
In the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth
, Captain Edmund Blackadder
says that he's "Off to Hartlepool
to buy a pair of exploding trousers" when feigning madness to avoid going over the top.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in the 1930s, farmers reportedly had trouble with exploding trousers as a result of attempts to wipe out the weed ragwort.
Farmers had been spraying sodium chlorate
Sodium chlorate
Sodium chlorate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . When pure, it is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water. It is hygroscopic. It decomposes above 250 °C to release oxygen and leave sodium chloride...
, a government recommended weedkiller, onto the ragwort, and some of the spray had ended up on their clothes. Sodium chlorate is a strong oxidizing agent, and reacted with the organic fibres (i.e. the wool and the cotton) of the clothes. Reports had farmers' trousers variously smoldering and bursting into flame, particularly when exposed to heat or naked flames. One report had trousers that were hanging on a washing line starting to smoke. There were also several reports of trousers exploding while farmers were wearing them, causing severe burns.
The history was written up by James Watson of Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
in a widely reported article, "The Significance of Mr. Richard Buckley's Exploding Trousers", and which later won him an Ig Nobel Prize
Ig Nobel Prize
The Ig Nobel Prizes are an American parody of the Nobel Prizes and are given each year in early October for ten unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research. The stated aim of the prizes is to "first make people laugh, and then make them think"...
On television
In their May 2006 "Exploding Pants" episode the popular U.S. television show MythBustersMythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
investigated the idea that trousers could explode based on the events of New Zealand in the 1930s.
Experimenters tested four substances on 100% cotton overalls:
- A paste comprising a mixture of gunpowderGunpowderGunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
and water (since gunpowder by itself does not cling to clothing); - An (un-named) "herbicide from the 1930s";
- An (un-named) "fertilizer from the 1930s" (this was most likely ammonium nitrate, the bottle was in the foreground of the shot and the label was facing the camera);
- "An acid", likely a nitric/sulfuric acid mixtureNitrationNitration is a general chemical process for the introduction of a nitro group into a chemical compound. The dominant application of nitration is for the production of nitrobenzene, the precursor to methylene diphenyl diisocyanate...
, (to make nitrocelluloseNitrocelluloseNitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
/guncotton).
Each of these were put to four different ignition methods: flame
Flame
A flame is the visible , gaseous part of a fire. It is caused by a highly exothermic reaction taking place in a thin zone...
, radiant heat
Thermal radiation
Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation generated by the thermal motion of charged particles in matter. All matter with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits thermal radiation....
, friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
and impact. Although not naming "the herbicide" as sodium chlorate
Sodium chlorate
Sodium chlorate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . When pure, it is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water. It is hygroscopic. It decomposes above 250 °C to release oxygen and leave sodium chloride...
, they confirmed that trousers would indeed vigorously combust due to flame, radiant heat and impact, though their friction tests did not cause ignition. However, combustion
Combustion
Combustion or burning is the sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat and conversion of chemical species. The release of heat can result in the production of light in the form of either glowing or a flame...
is not the same as an explosion
Explosion
An explosion is a rapid increase in volume and release of energy in an extreme manner, usually with the generation of high temperatures and the release of gases. An explosion creates a shock wave. If the shock wave is a supersonic detonation, then the source of the blast is called a "high explosive"...
, which requires compression and a detonation. Even so, a person witnessing such an event (especially if he or she were wearing the trousers) would likely describe the event as an explosion.
The tests also revealed that none of the other three substances caused combustion of the trousers, thus indicating that sodium chlorate was almost certainly responsible for the events that occurred.
ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's The Science Show described exploding trousers as "the scenario for a Goon Show", and, in an example of art imitating life, it actually was. The Goons
The Goon Show
The Goon Show was a British radio comedy programme, originally produced and broadcast by the BBC Home Service from 1951 to 1960, with occasional repeats on the BBC Light Programme...
wrote a script about a chemical which "when applied to the tail of a military soldier shirt, is tasteless, colourless, and odourless" but that "The moment the wearer sits down, the heat from his body causes the chemical to explode.".
In the final episode of Blackadder Goes Forth
Blackadder Goes Forth
Blackadder Goes Forth is the fourth and final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One....
, Captain Edmund Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder
Edmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series Blackadder, each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of British history, each character is part of the same familial...
says that he's "Off to Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
to buy a pair of exploding trousers" when feigning madness to avoid going over the top.