• Question: What metal reacts the most when mixed with water.

    Asked by 10rc to Amy, Karen, Sarah, Vijay, Will on 11 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Will Reynolds

      Will Reynolds answered on 11 Jun 2012:

      Hi 10rc. Great question and one of my faviourite reactions. The elements in the first coloumn in the periodic table are called the alkali metals: lithium, sodium, pottasium, rubidium, cesium and francium. They all react vigourously with both liquid water and even water vapour in the air so they have to be stored in oil. They get more reactive as you go down so the answer is Francium. But it is so reactive very few people are allowed to use it, not even me! Here is a really cool video of what happens when they react with water. Thanks for your question!

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCk0lYB_8c0

    • Photo: Amy Birch

      Amy Birch answered on 11 Jun 2012:

      Wow that video is cool Will! I love Brainiacs! I definitely can’t top the answer from a real-life chemist 😉

    • Photo: Karen Reed

      Karen Reed answered on 11 Jun 2012:

      Wow – I’m learning loads of chemistry related things on here. Cheers will and thanks 10rc for a great question

    • Photo: Sarah Martin

      Sarah Martin answered on 11 Jun 2012:

      Hahaha, what a great video! I want some francium! 🙂
      A girl in our school picked up a lump of sodium off the teacher’s desk in chemistry lab, wandered outside, and when it started burning her hand, she tried to flush it down the loo and exploded the toiled! She was fine, but in lots of trouble!

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