Comments on: In the Archives: Soap a Sign of Spring http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring it's like being there Tue, 16 Sep 2014 04:56:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2 By: Laura http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-298243 Laura Mon, 10 Mar 2014 18:07:50 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-298243 Fred: One of these artifacts is pictured on the new Lewis Hine “Made in America: Building a Nation” series of postage stamps (which are quite beautiful!)

I am enjoying the discussion going on and I appreciate learning new information. Interesting info! Thank you to Ray, Vivienne, and other readers for their comments.

]]> By: Ray Hunter http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-297014 Ray Hunter Sat, 01 Mar 2014 13:29:50 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-297014 Not quite limelight, but close. When I was a kid growing up in a small mining town in Pa, we would use carbide to make our own 4th of July firecrackers. Just take an old empty gallon paint can, put a nail hole in the lid, put a few grains of carbide in the can along with a little bit of water…then shake the can…touch a flame to the nail hole and BOOM!

]]> By: cosmonıcan http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296976 cosmonıcan Sat, 01 Mar 2014 03:00:38 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296976 a/k/a: “Limelight”?

]]> By: Ray Hunter http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296973 Ray Hunter Sat, 01 Mar 2014 01:43:35 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296973 Calcium carbide is correct, when mixed with water, it is indeed explosive, but when controlled it can be illuminating.

]]> By: Vivienne Armentrout http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296941 Vivienne Armentrout Fri, 28 Feb 2014 18:07:32 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296941 Is that intended to be calcium carbide? [link]

Looks as though it could be explosive.

]]> By: Jim Rees http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296938 Jim Rees Fri, 28 Feb 2014 17:44:18 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296938 The “2″ is supposed to be a subscript. I’ll attempt it here, although I am not fully confident of The Chronicle’s utf-8 support: CaC₂

]]> By: Ray Hunter http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296917 Ray Hunter Fri, 28 Feb 2014 13:39:50 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296917 You city folks just need to get out more. Loretta Lynn or “Tennessee” Ernie Ford would know all about this item.

]]> By: fred http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296914 fred Fri, 28 Feb 2014 12:15:24 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296914 carbide lamp

]]> By: Vivienne Armentrout http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296895 Vivienne Armentrout Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:33:55 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296895 C2? What is that? Doesn’t sound like any salt I am aware of. C is of course elemental carbon but the notation suggests that this is the base component of an acid. Carbonate? CO3?

Baking soda is CaHCo3. The H indicates that the two valences of calcium are supplemented by a hydrogen atom to match the three negative charges of the carbonate ion.

Probably this is now junior high chemistry, so I offer it with proper humility.

]]> By: Ray Hunter http://annarborchronicle.com/2014/02/26/in-the-archives-soap-a-sign-of-spring/comment-page-1/#comment-296893 Ray Hunter Fri, 28 Feb 2014 02:05:57 +0000 http://annarborchronicle.com/?p=131295#comment-296893 Take the lid off the top, add a few grains of CaC2, mix with H2O…you will be enlightened! You can hang your hat on that…or vice versa!

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