Watch the explosive reaction of sodium metal in water, captured in mesmerizing slow motion. See the intense chemistry unfold ...

The reaction starts less than a millisecond after the metal droplet, released from a syringe, enters the water. After just 0.4 ms, ‘spikes’ of metal shoot out from the droplet, too fast to be ...

The King of Random demonstrates four explosive reactions of sodium in water. Gavin Newsom's warning to Donald Trump over plan for Texas Republicans 'Gilligan's Island': Untold Secrets of the Classic ...

The sodium/water reaction is a classic, and does have a deeper explanation. Let's start by watching the reaction unfold. The first thing you have to know about sodium is that, ...

The sodium atom (NA) and the water (H2O), combine to form NaOH, with a lot of hydrogen gas left over. The reaction releases a lot of heat, and the heat ignites the hydrogen gas. The rest is a boom.

Sodium combines with water in an explosive reaction. Chlorine (Cl) is a halogen; it is a highly reactive element that readily gains an electron to fill its outermost shell.

Alkali metals can react explosively with water and it is textbook knowledge that this vigorous behaviour results from heat release, steam formation and ignition of the hydrogen gas that is produced.

This explains the continued robust reaction: the spikes kept placing fresh sodium in contact with the water, preventing the formation of a steam/hydrogen barrier that would choke off the reaction.