large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_02_asimov_64kb_31
large/12904/worldswithinworlds_v1-3_1904_librivox_64kb_mp3/worldswithinworlds_02_asimov_64kb
English
12904
The heat of the burning will ignite a neighboring portion of the sheet and so on till the entire sheet is burned. For that matter a single smoldering cigarette end can serve to burn down an entire forest in a vastly destructive chain reaction. THE HEAT OF THE BURNING WILL IGNITE A NEIGHBORING PORTION OF THE SHEET AND SO ON TILL THE ENTIRE SHEET IS BURNED FOR THAT MATTER A SINGLE SMOULDERING CIGARETTE END CAN SERVE TO BURN DOWN AN ENTIRE FOREST IN A VASTLY DESTRUCTIVE CHAIN REACTION
 some molecules will be broken up into separate atoms (though the actual process is rather complicated). An oxygen atom might then strike a hydrogen molecule to form water (O + H₂ → H₂O) and more energy is given off than was absorbed from the match flame. The temperature goes up still higher so that further breakup among the oxygen and hydrogen molecules is encouraged. [Illustration: _The formation of a sodium chloride molecule._] This happens over and over again so that in very little time, the temperature is very high and the hydrogen and oxygen are combining to form water at an enormous rate. If a great deal of hydrogen and oxygen are well-mixed to begin with, the rate of reaction is so great that an explosion occurs. Such a situation, in which each reacting bit of the system adds energy to the system by its reaction and brings about more reactions like itself, is called a “chain reaction”. Thus, a match flame put to one corner of a large sheet of paper will set that corner burning.  OXYGEN MOLECULES MOVE ABOUT MORE RAPIDLY AND MORE ENERGETICALLY THIS INCREASES THE CHANCE THAT SOME MOLECULES WILL BE BROKEN UP INTO SEPARATE ATOMS THOUGH THE ACTUAL PROCESS IS RATHER COMPLICATED AN OXYGEN ATOM MIGHT THEN STRIKE A HYDROGEN MOLECULE TO FORM WATER AND MORE ENERGY IS GIVEN OFF THAN WAS ABSORBED FROM THE MATCH FLAME THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP STILL HIGHER SO THAT FURTHER BREAK UP AMONG OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN MOLECULES IS ENCOURAGED THIS HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO THAT IN A VERY LITTLE TIME THE TEMPERATURE IS VERY HIGH AND THE HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN ARE COMBINING TO FORM WATER AT AN ENORMOUS RATE IF A GREAT DEAL OF HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN ARE WELL MIXED TO BEGIN WITH THE RATE OF REACTION IS SO GREAT THAT AN EXPLOSION OCCURS SUCH A SITUATION IN WHICH EACH REACTING BIT OF THE SYSTEM ADDS ENERGY TO THE SYSTEM BY ITS REACTION AND BRINGS ABOUT MORE REACTIONS LIKE ITSELF IS CALLED A CHAIN REACTION THUS A MATCH FLAME PUT TO ONE CORNER OF A LARGE SHEET OF PAPER WILL SET THAT CORNER BURNING
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