Help Identifying Something

[PVC Arsenal 17]

I found this on the ground and I have absolutely no idea what it is.

It's a small glittered plastic container with ten sides. If you pop the two halves apart, inside are dozens of small steel discs of various diameters mixed with white powder. On one half of the container is a raised outline of a gymnast and on the other half is a raised outline of a balance beam. I have no idea what this be used for.

Any ideas?

[Moonbogg]

Hand chalk perhaps? The pieces inside used to shake and keep the chalk from clumping together?

[PVC Arsenal 17]

Judging by how difficult it was to open, I don't think the contents were meant to be used. The volume it contains would be too small to be effective. The whole thing is about the diameter of a penny.

[Fnord]

Weather balloon?

That's odd. I guess the only fool-proof thing to do would be run a sample of the powder through your neighbor's mass spectrometer (he does have one, right?), to determine the composition, or at least inhale it through a straw.

edit you know what, I need to start leaving random unidentifiable stuff like this laying around when I go places. I shall make this into a new sport and call it GeoTrolling.

[Mr.Tallahassee]

Thank you Fnord, I now have a purpose in life.

[Moonbogg]

No idea then. It could be toxic so watch it. I don't mean stare at it or anything, just don't eat it or shove it in your eyeball.

[mattyzip77]

Maybe it was a gymnasts pill case/holder to keep they're steroids hidden in before a meet???????

[Crna Legija]

lol the top bit looks like a galvanized iron plug and the bottom one looks a a cap

[PVC Arsenal 17]

The container is plastic. I think it was used as some kind of weight. No idea really.

[Gippeto]

Drawing a blank, I can only suggest the following for a young fella to try...

Meet yourself a nice little gymnast and ask her.

[saefroch]

Check solubility of the white powder in water and some nonpolar solvent like gasoline. Then find the mass and volume and calculate the density of the discs.

I second Gippeto's suggestion.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Here's the USP monograph for magnesium carbonate: http://www.pharmacopeia.cn/v29240/usp29 ... 46680.html

Also, just in case you struck lucky: http://www.pharmacopeia.cn/v29240/usp29 ... 19300.html

[jrrdw]

Old pill box given to a child for trinket keeping then lost by said child and found some time later by you. That's my guess.

[cammyd32]

Thank you Fnord, I now have a purpose in life.

+1