Why did the molasses tank explode?
A 40-foot wave of molasses buckled the elevated railroad tracks, crushed buildings and inundated the neighborhood. Structural defects in the tank combined with unseasonably warm temperatures contributed to the disaster.
How fast did the molasses pour out of the tank?
The researchers concluded that the reports of the high speed of the flood were credible. Two days before the disaster, warmer molasses had been added to the tank, reducing the viscosity of the fluid.
Did molasses almost destroy Boston?
Great Molasses Flood, disaster in Boston that occurred after a storage tank collapsed on January 15, 1919, sending more than two million gallons (eight million litres) of molasses flowing through the city’s North End. The deluge caused extensive damage and killed 21 people.
Does Boston still smell like molasses today?
According to Nick LaBonte from Polcari’s Coffee, “Supposedly, you can still smell the molasses when it gets hot enough.” But today, molasses is not a common sight on the Boston waterfront.
Can you swim in molasses?
Physics also explains why swimming in molasses is near impossible. Depending on the way it is made, molasses is between 5,000 to 10,000 times more viscous than water. The Reynolds number for an adult man in water is around one million; the Reynolds number for the same man in molasses is about 130.
Was molasses used in bombs?
Tbe sticky brown syrup was being put to a new and perbaps surprising use: to make bombs. Heated up in a process called distillation, molasses can be turned into a liquid called industrial alcobol. In tbis form, molasses became a key ingredient in tbe explosives used in tbe war against Germany.
How big was the molasses flood?
On January 15th, 1919, in what was probably the most bizarre disaster in United States’ history, a storage tank burst on Boston’s waterfront releasing two million gallons of molasses in a 15 ft-high, 160 ft-wide wave that raced through the city’s north end at 35mph destroying everything it touched.
How many horses died in molasses Flood?
On January 15, 1919, the North End of Boston experienced an odd incident in which 2.3 million gallons of molasses exploded out of a tank and into the city. It knocked out some buildings and even led to a number of deaths. 21 people and 12 horses died.
Why does Boston stink?
Lots of Boston Terriers produce this smell, and the reason they do is because of yeast. This isn’t the same type of yeast you use to make bread or pizza dough. Instead, it’s a fungus that’s often invisible to the naked eye. Behind the scenes, it begins rapidly reproducing, leading to the smell.
How many people died in the molasses Flood of 1919?
21
Great Molasses Flood/Number of deaths
On this day over a century ago, Boston’s most peculiar disaster killed 21 people and injured 150 others. The Great Molasses Flood struck without warning at midday on Jan. 15, 1919.
How hot was the molasses flood?
The air temperature on the day of the disaster was about 40°F. Its brittleness might have been a final straw.