Exploding capacitor video

[bill2009]

This short video shows the results of two electrolytics and a tantalum capacitor with reversed polarity and modest voltage overage.  The 10 uf tantalum cap not only explodes but burns very nicely afterward.  One of the electrolytics manages a really ferocious bang but, to be fair, it's 470uf.

He's running 15V reversed into 10v caps but I bet that's not the important factor.

http://www.eevblog.com/2009/11/04/eevblog-42-exploding-capacitors-in-high-speed/

[Grumpy_Mike]

Excellent, all beginners should see this.  

This is why using tantalum capacitors in a power supply or for supply decoupling is not a good idea. Even when they are connected the right way round they can fail short circuit and burn like that.

[sciguy]

"I know!  Lets blow some **** up!"

this guy is funny.

That is such a hilarious line.
And I learned something, too!:
don't connect caps the wrong way at 5v higher than they should be.

Great advice!!!

[scswift]

Haha!

"Here's a cap without a vent on top!  Is that gonna f*** us?"

At least, that's what I thought I heard. :-)

[DavidC]

   We used to do this in college lab classes. Shoot them off the breadboard and into the celing.    

[Imahilus]

More like 14 volts too much  
He clearly says at the end that you shouldn't go past a volt or a volt and a half when wiring em up backwards =P

[ill_switch]

That guy is rather energetic, isn't he?

The tant cap was interesting to watch. You get an explosion, and then "oh look, it's on fire."

Then a few seconds of not much action.

Then, suddenly, "oh DANG! It's REALLY on fire!"