Fruit: some people eat it, others like to find ways to make it explode.
One particularly strong advocate of the latter is the so-called Backyard Scientist who is one of a growing legion of YouTubers taking to blowing up fruit and sharing the video evidence online.
In his latest offerings, the Florida resident finishes off a coconut and watermelon by drilling a hole in the top and carefully pouring in molten salt.
This is what happens when you pour molten salt into a coconut (YouTube/TheBackyardScientist via Giphy) Source: giphy
A watermelon explodes as it's struck by a bullet made of sodium (YouTube/TheBackyardScientist via Giphy) Source: giphy
He heats coarse table salt to 700 degrees Celsius before placing it at the end of a very long pouring pole in an experiment no one should try at home. The sodium in the salt reacts with the high water content in the fruit resulting in a very explosive reaction.
The Backyard Scientist uses the same principal in a similar video where he blows up another watermelon by shooting at it with sodium bullets.
The YouTuber isn’t alone in this phenomenon and a host of methods have been used (and taped) to blow up a variety of different foods.
Pumpkins are a popular option for those looking for something to explode around Halloween, while one user has used slow motion recording to get an up close look at what happens when you put a firecracker into jelly.
This apple flies to bits in a big way (YouTube/thissiteishorrible via Giphy) Source: YouTube
Oranges aren't exempt either (YouTube/Gonzales Lumpi va Giphy) Source: YouTube
When jelly, firecrackers and a slow-mo camera mix (YouTube/Taras Kul via Giphy) Source: YouTube
In another experiment popular with kids across the globe last year, you can split a hard shelled fruit or vegetable by tying too many rubber bands around it.
Fireworks and guns are other explosive methods. (No matter what the method, these experiments can be dangerous; we don't recommmend trying any of them at home!)
Tying too many rubber bands around a watermelon has explosive results (YouTube/brialx1 via Giphy) Source: YouTube
A dangerous way to dispose of extra pumpkins after Halloween (YouTube/NicksFireworkDemos via Giphy) Source: YouTube
