"Black snake" is a term that can refer to at least three similar types of fireworks: the Pharaoh's snake, the sugar snake, or a popular retail composition marketed under various product names but usually known as "black snake". The "Pharaoh's snake" or "Pharaoh's serpent" is the original version of the black snake experiment. It produces a more impressive snake, but its execution depends upon mercury (II) thiocyanate, which is no longer in common use due to its toxicity. For a "sugar snake", sodium bicarbonate and sugar are the commonly used chemicals.
A long snake-like shape of carbon formed during the experiment
Sucrose: Sodium bicarbonate (4:1) placed on top of sand and ethanol.
An intumescent is a substance that swells as a result of heat exposure, leading to an increase in volume and decrease in density. Intumescence refers to the process of swelling. Intumescent materials are typically used in passive fire protection and require listing, approval, and compliance in their installed configurations in order to comply with the national building codes and laws.
A charred marshmallow is a familiar example of intumescence
Low pressure intumescent resin: This product is suitable for use in passive fire protection in general, and in firestopping and interior fireproofing in particular. The small, orange chunk on the bottom right is capable of growing into the large black object above and to its left.
Pipe covered with a thin-film intumescent spray fireproofing
