Re: alchemists ballista bolt

Static asked before where I got the quotes from.
http://www.greece.org/Romiosini/greek_fire.html
I just typed greek fire into google and that was the first link.  I'm
not sure if both my quotes are from that, sorry I forgot to cite. Bad
Smu, bad!

Coyote said <BTW, that link does say they put white phosphorous in water, but I think that is a typo.>
I've found two other sites (and these were the only two I've looked at so far)
http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/15.html
http://www.scescape.net/~woods/elements/phosphorus.html
that both say white phosphorous should be stored underwater.  So it
seems pretty wide spread for a typo.  THe first one is cool cause they
have alchemical symbol for phosphorous at the top of the page, so thats
nifty spifty, for anyone who cares.

< I know for a fact they store Sodium in oil, because it is really reactive, too.>
I've always seen it stored in kerosine, because its less viscous.  It is
a petrol product though so the reason is the same, its just more
pleasant than crude oil or the stuff you stick in your car.

So far I haven't been able to find a site that says specifically and
flat out White phosphorous does/does not burn underwater.  I did find
this, which seems pretty close, but I'm unsure.
"White phosphorus burns on contact with air. When deprived of air (such
as underwater, or buried in mud) it remains unchanged and toxic. "
http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/pubs/may01/story14.htm

I find this all very facinating and am intensely curious; however, I
don't think phosphorous is believed to be an ingredient in Greek fire so
I'm unsure as to why we are talking about it.  But now that we are
please continue!







Proverb:  Give a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.  Light a man
on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.


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