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#1 2008-09-02 04:29:26

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Reaction of alkali metals with water

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSZ-3wScePM

Lithium just fizzes in water, sodium reacts more vigorously, while potassium gives off sparks. When we come to rubidium, there is a mild explosion. Watch out for that caesium reaction …

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#2 2009-04-14 02:23:57

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Hi Jane;

All of them react with water like this typical reaction for Sodium:

2 Na + 2H20 -> H2 + 2 NaOH

They form a strong base( NaOH - Sodium Hydroxide or lye) and release hydrogen gas. Magnesium which is not quite as active will still slowly release hydrogen if it is immersed in hot water. Thanks for finding this video because I had never seen Rubidium or Cesium when I was in class.

bobbym


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#3 2009-04-14 03:00:56

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Thanks Bobby. smile

Rubidium and caesium are probably too dangerous to be used in classroom experiments.

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#4 2009-04-14 08:51:11

John E. Franklin
Member
Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Also I noticed today you can remember the atomic mass of lithium,
simply by remembering the word "pink".  Then number the A..Z from
1 to 26, and just look at the "one's" digit when converting "pink" to
p --> 16 --> 6
i --> 9 --> 9
n --> 14 --> 4
k --> 11 --> 1
So lithium's atomic mass is 6.941 amu's.
Yeah!


igloo myrtilles fourmis

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#5 2009-04-14 11:11:38

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Hi John;

  I hope that is just a coincidence! I couldn't deal with it otherwise.

bobbym

Last edited by bobbym (2009-04-14 11:12:27)


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#6 2009-04-14 14:19:31

Tigeree
Member
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 13,883

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Francium... Mwahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!


People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~ Anton Chekhov
Cheer up, emo kid.

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#7 2009-04-14 15:00:23

Ricky
Moderator
Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

At the very last second of the video, you can hear someone whistle.


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

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#8 2009-04-15 15:38:47

Tigeree
Member
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 13,883

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

lol Thanks, Ricky! Quite believably that's the most unrelated thing I've ever heard you say! Not that it's not related I was just expecting your first post on this thread to be more... Advanced, lets say, possibly a formula like the others. But of course if I was expecting to much of you ... that is fine as well.       

And Again...

Tigeree wrote:

Francium... Mwahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!

In water of course!


People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~ Anton Chekhov
Cheer up, emo kid.

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#9 2009-04-15 21:35:24

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Ricky wrote:

At the very last second of the video, you can hear someone whistle.

Whistling.gif

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#10 2009-04-16 13:40:19

Tigeree
Member
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 13,883

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

lol Good one, Jane! You always have great smilies! Shame it doesn't actually produce sound, that would be kool! You could record yourself whistling on your computer to make the sound appear- not a good word for this type of thing but anyway- when ever you post that smiley. That would be pretty kool, I guess.


People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~ Anton Chekhov
Cheer up, emo kid.

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#11 2009-04-16 21:54:48

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Hi;

   It is apparent to me that Jane needs bigger smilies or I need bigger eyes, I totally missed that little guy.

bobbym


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#12 2009-04-17 01:46:05

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

So, what’s below francium in Group 1 of the periodic table? Would it be “ununennium” (element № 119)?

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#13 2009-04-17 13:06:57

Tigeree
Member
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 13,883

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Possibly. Does it react to water? More vigorously than that of francium?

Bobbym;

The smiley looks perfectly fine to me! Maybe it's just your computer? 

Ricky, for when you post again;

I'm sorry about my post denying you and your intelligence, I discovered that Chemistry is not your strongest point, Math, on the other hand is one of your more stronger points in life and I regret the post.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
I wouldn't want it to come between us.

Last edited by Tigeree (2009-04-17 13:07:30)


People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~ Anton Chekhov
Cheer up, emo kid.

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#14 2009-04-17 17:21:24

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Hi Tigeree;

  I was being funny, it looks fine here too.

bobbym


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#15 2009-04-18 13:40:14

Tigeree
Member
Registered: 2005-11-19
Posts: 13,883

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Yeah, I hear ya! wink


People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy.
~ Anton Chekhov
Cheer up, emo kid.

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#16 2009-05-16 22:44:30

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Here is another video:

[align=center]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI-ZkPZ8JpI[/align]

Notice that rubidium ripped a hole in the bathtub, while caesium completely blew it into pieces. eek

Last edited by JaneFairfax (2009-05-16 22:48:26)

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#17 2009-05-17 02:58:46

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Hi Jane;

  See that you are in an explosive mood. This little vid while not containing much pyrotechnics does give some information on how chemists use the periodic chart. Nice to see some things haven't changed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyFLvSg6ZDw&feature=related


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#18 2009-05-17 05:10:47

quittyqat
Member
Registered: 2009-04-08
Posts: 1,215

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

faintWow!


I'll be here at least once every decade.

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#19 2009-05-19 08:29:13

John E. Franklin
Member
Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Neat video, did you notice the Li 6.941 (PINK, as I mentioned earlier) sign the girl was holding
near the start of the video?


igloo myrtilles fourmis

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#20 2009-05-19 11:41:10

simron
Real Member
Registered: 2006-10-07
Posts: 237

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

bobbym wrote:

Hi Jane;

  See that you are in an explosive mood. This little vid while not containing much pyrotechnics does give some information on how chemists use the periodic chart. Nice to see some things haven't changed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyFLvSg6ZDw&feature=related

Actually, they faked that with a depth charge... they came out and said it on YouTube.


Linux FTW

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#21 2009-05-19 14:25:43

Laterally Speaking
Real Member
Registered: 2007-05-21
Posts: 356

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

My uncle (a high school physics and chemistry teacher) did the following with his senior class:

"Now, I know that all of you are going to want to try to steal some of this sodium so you can have fun with it on your own. Let me show you a few things you don't want to do with it. First, you don't want the piece of sodium to be very large. [cuts off chunk the size of a grapefruit] You also don't want it to be entirely submerged rapidly. [attaches lead weights to piece of sodium] You don't want the water to be at all acidic, either. [pours a quart of citric acid into tub of water]."

He then took the class outside, and held the sodium at the end of a 40-foot pole above the water. He lets go of the rope holding it there. It falls into the water. The class watches as a 20-foot high mushroom-shaped cloud of water and smoke rises from the small hole where the tub had just been.


"Knowledge is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined."
"This woman painted a picture of me; she was clearly a psychopath"

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#22 2009-05-19 16:08:15

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

The size of a grapefruit! I have never seen that much.


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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#23 2009-05-19 18:41:22

Laterally Speaking
Real Member
Registered: 2007-05-21
Posts: 356

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

I know... I'm so sad I don't go to the school he teaches at...


"Knowledge is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined."
"This woman painted a picture of me; she was clearly a psychopath"

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#24 2009-05-20 05:51:30

Ninja 101
Member
Registered: 2006-02-20
Posts: 936

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Actually, no-one has actually isolated Francium. It's a sort of theoretical element. Its existence is only proved on paper. The reason is that its most stable isotope, francium-223, has a half-life of only 22 minutes. There are many more isotopes with much shorter half-lifes. Also, the largest amount ever collected was a cluster of around 10000 atoms, amongst Uranuim and Barium isotopes.

Last edited by Ninja 101 (2009-05-20 05:54:31)


Chaos is found in greatest abundance wherever order is being saught. It always defeats order, because it is better organized.

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#25 2009-05-20 09:07:15

bobbym
bumpkin
From: Bumpkinland
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 109,606

Re: Reaction of alkali metals with water

Actually one of the videos makes it sound like someone is sitting on large quantities of francium. It's more radioactive than Plutonium so large quantities are out of the question.


In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

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