A pyrotechnic composition made from powdered aluminum and metal oxide that produces intense heat when ignited.
From German 'Thermit,' coined by chemist Hans Goldschmidt in the 1890s, combining 'therm-' (heat) with the suffix '-it' (mineral).
Thermite reactions reach 2500°C and were famously used to weld railroad tracks and cut steel—they're so hot they can even burn through metal most people think is indestructible.
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