Thermite reaction. Apparatus used to demonstrate the extremely violent reaction of thermite when ignited. Thermite is a pyrotechnic composition of a metal powder and a metal oxide, which produces an exothermic reaction known as a thermite reaction. The reaction is not explosive, but can create bursts of extremely high temperatures focused on a very small area for a short period of time. Thermites can have a diverse class of compositions using any of a variety of metals and oxides. The most common is aluminium with iron(III) oxide.
