Chemists and I guess pharmacists since it's wrt people, what exactly does potassium nitrate do?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Chemists and I guess pharmacists since it's wrt people, what exactly does potassium nitrate do?

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:20:31 PM EDT

I've decided to try some Sensodyne toothpaste since I've always been a bit sensitive to cold drinks and food. Says it has 5% potassium nitrate.
I know one thing, it makes the toothpaste taste like shit. worst I've ever tasted, even worse than some of the odd flavors the dentist sometimes offers

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:24:23 PM EDT

[#1]

We used to buy potassium nitrate at the drug store and make our own black powder.

Can't think of another use for it.

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:26:51 PM EDT

[#2]

A 'mad scientist' HS buddy use to make smoke bombs with potassium nitrate & sugar.

The reason it tastes like shit? The most common source IIRC is bat & bird guano.......

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:29:32 PM EDT

[#3]

It's an oxidizer. Makes things burn better, also formerly known as "saltpeter" supposedly given to the armed forces to reduce the sex drive (rumor), AND is a diuretic, makes you pee.

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:36:46 PM EDT

[#4]

This sodium nitrate is also used as preservative in meats. The balona, salemis etc are loaded with this stuff. I used Sensodyne, it's pretty good stuff, once you stop using it the senistivity of the teeth will come back.

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:40:53 PM EDT

[#5]

I use Crest with sensitivity protection. It has the same active ingredent and the same amount for 1/2 the price.

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:41:32 PM EDT

[#6]

Potassium nitrate can also be used to hot blue guns...

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:49:37 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
A 'mad scientist' HS buddy use to make smoke bombs with potassium nitrate & sugar.

And that my friend is also a formula for solid rocket fuel.

WWW.NAKKA-ROCKETRY.NET

Vulcan94

Posted: 8/7/2005 4:59:15 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
This sodium nitrate is also used as preservative in meats. The balona, salemis etc are loaded with this stuff. I used Sensodyne, it's pretty good stuff, once you stop using it the senistivity of the teeth will come back.

I believe that's sodium nitrite rather than "-ate"

Posted: 8/7/2005 7:43:56 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I've decided to try some Sensodyne toothpaste since I've always been a bit sensitive to cold drinks and food. Says it has 5% potassium nitrate.
I know one thing, it makes the toothpaste taste like shit. worst I've ever tasted, even worse than some of the odd flavors the dentist sometimes offers

Whatever the effect, 5% of the dab of something you spit back out shouldn't be too dangerous.

Posted: 8/7/2005 7:59:32 PM EDT

[#10]

Oxidizer is correct.
A large proportion of explosives are nitrates (-NO3) of some form.
TNT, nitroglycerin, C-4, etc are all nitrates. When they react, a great deal of energy is released by the change in bond energies of the relevant molecules. The transition from a solid to a gas ---H2O, CO2, N2---causes a rapid change from a small amount of solid to a large amount of gas. The force or speed with which this occurs is known as brissance.

Gunpowder is actually a mixture which reacts together rather than an individual molecule. It reacts much more slowly than something like C-4.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Chemists and I guess pharmacists since it's wrt people, what exactly does potassium nitrate do?

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