CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

Thermite is a stoichiometric powdered mixture of iron(II) oxide and aluminium for the reaction

The reaction is highly exothermic and the increase in temperature (over 2500 °C) is sufficient to melt the iron produced. It has been used for localized welding of steel object (e.g. railway lines) in the thermit process. Thermite is also used in incendiary bombs.