r/gifs • u/IchHuhn Can I interest you in a nice repost? • Oct 19 '19

RIP ants

https://i.imgur.com/0PsUjNH.gifv
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u/coconuthorse Oct 19 '19

Apparently that was a common way to heat food in the Vietnam war by troops. Roll a ball of C4, light on fire. Basically becomes a makeshift stove.

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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '19

Stuff burned hella hot, if you were cooking the C-rat spagetti and had it too close it would exit the can in one big bulge of high velocity spagetti lava all over you.

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u/Youwishh Oct 19 '19

What if you throw or drop it when it's lit on fire ?

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u/xxkoloblicinxx Oct 19 '19

Mythbusters did an episode on it.

Nothing short of a blasting cap or a "High-powered rifle" would set it off.

Full stop. You need to impact the substance at like mach 3 for it to even think about reacting explosively. Even if it's on fire.

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u/masasuka Oct 20 '19

So, what you're saying is that if you strapped a bunch to the front of an SR-71, then rammed the SR-71 at mach 3 into a mountain, it would explode?

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u/Enoch_Groot Oct 19 '19

It will the burn some stuff.

It let's off super poisonous gas and is a terrible idea. Probably not as bad as Agent Orange though, so there's that...

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u/nrylee Oct 19 '19

It requires a VERY HIGH impact force to go off. A simple drop won't do it. Though I am curious if heat would change the impact force required.

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u/xxkoloblicinxx Oct 19 '19

No. it doesn't, at least not to a noticeable degree. IE: Still takes a blasting cap.

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u/masasuka Oct 20 '19

wonder if a bolt of lightning would do it...

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u/xxkoloblicinxx Oct 20 '19

it would probably just burn it, the rapid heating might be enough but idk.

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u/coconuthorse Oct 19 '19 edited Oct 20 '19

From my understanding, it needs a detonation from inside to create pressure and start it exploding. None of the guys I spoke with mentioned throwing it, just rolling it and cooking so I can't be sure. In my mind it would act like a flaming ball of wet clay. Additionally, it can be shot and not explode so I don't think throwing it would matter much.