explain inside a flashbulb are the 2 reactants necessary for a violent reaction that produce light yet they don't react..
Inside a flashbulb, there are typically two reactants necessary for a violent reaction that produces light, namely magnesium and potassium chlorate. These reactants, however, do not react spontaneously when they are in contact with each other, and this is because of how they are stored in the flashbulb.
To understand why these reactants don't react immediately, we need to consider how the flashbulb is designed. Inside the flashbulb, there is a small compartment that houses a wire filament coated with a mixture of magnesium and potassium chlorate. This mixture is physically separated into two distinct layers to prevent them from combining prematurely.
When a flashbulb is used, an electric current passes through the wire filament, heating it up rapidly. The heat causes the potassium chlorate to decompose into potassium chloride and oxygen gas. The heat also vaporizes the magnesium, which then reacts vigorously with the oxygen in the gas phase, generating an intense burst of light.
So, it's important to note that the separation between the magnesium and the potassium chlorate prevents them from directly interacting with each other. Only when the flashbulb is triggered and the filament is heated does the potassium chlorate decompose, supplying the oxygen necessary for the magnesium to react and produce light.
This design ensures that the reaction only occurs when an external energy source, like electricity, is applied, initiating a chain of events leading to the production of light. This controlled reaction is what makes flashbulbs a reliable and safe source of intense illumination, allowing cameras to capture high-quality photographs in low-light conditions.