The Five-Minute Forums  

Go Back   The Five-Minute Forums > FiveMinute.net > Miscellaneous

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old 02-04-2006, 07:09 PM
Sa'ar Chasm's Avatar
Sa'ar Chasm Sa'ar Chasm is offline
Our last, best hope for peace
Staff
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sitting (in Ottawa)
Posts: 3,425
Default

Quote:
. ((the reason it has an explosive reaction with water in the first place is that the lone outer electron gets 'donated' to the oxygen if there is no chlorine (or equivalent) for it to react with. This forces the oxygen atom to lose the bond to one of it's hydrogen atoms, releasing pure, hot hydrogen. Guess what happens when large quantities of hot, flammable gas are released into the air?))
2Na(s) + 2H2O --> 2Na+(aq) + H2(g) + 2OH¯(aq) + heat, light, fizzes

NaCl(s) + H2O --> Na+(aq) + Cl¯(aq) + H2O

Na(s) + Cl2(g) --> KABOOM!

Being a chemistry major has to be good for something. Now if I could only figure out how to do super- and subscript...

Basically...elemental sodium reacts very readily with any sort of electronegative species - like chlorine or oxygen-containing species. Thermodynamically, Na(s) is very high in energy - which is bad. It loses this energy by reacting to form a more stable species - ionic sodium. The energy lost in this process is what's reponsible for all the fizzing and dancing and exploding. Exploding hydrogen gas is another matter entirely - it would probably send a lot of superheated air, hot water, sodium hydroxide (lye) and glass fragments at high velocities throughout the general vicinity.

/the more you know...
//Mr. Science mode OFF
__________________
The first run through of any experimental procedure is to identify any potential errors by making them.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 02-04-2006, 07:48 PM
Alexia's Avatar
Alexia Alexia is offline
La la la, I can't hear you
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: The island not in the sun
Posts: 1,267
Send a message via ICQ to Alexia Send a message via AIM to Alexia Send a message via MSN to Alexia Send a message via Yahoo to Alexia
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sa'ar Chasm
2Na(s) + 2H2O --> 2Na+(aq) + H2(g) + 2OH¯(aq) + heat, light, fizzes
Fizzes? Effervesces, dah-ling.

I do, however, approve of the word kaboom.
__________________
Alexia: You have to laugh, or you'd kill yourself xD
Lostoyannaya: Yes. Now take that noose off your neck and get down from the chair. IN THAT ORDER.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 02-04-2006, 07:56 PM
Derek's Avatar
Derek Derek is offline
Dean of misderektion
Senior Staff
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sector 001
Posts: 1,106
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sa'ar Chasm
2Na(s) + 2H2O --> 2Na+(aq) + H2(g) + 2OH¯(aq) + heat, light, fizzes

NaCl(s) + H2O --> Na+(aq) + Cl¯(aq) + H2O

Na(s) + Cl2(g) --> KABOOM!

Being a chemistry major has to be good for something. Now if I could only figure out how to do super- and subscript...
< sup > does superscript.
< sub > should do subscript, but apparently, the boards haven't been configured to allow that.
__________________
"Please, Aslan," said Lucy, "what do you call soon?"
"I call all times soon," said Aslan; and instantly he vanished away and Lucy was alone with the Magician.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 02-04-2006, 11:21 PM
Zeke's Avatar
Zeke Zeke is offline
The lens that flares in the night
Administrator
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
Posts: 3,396
Send a message via ICQ to Zeke Send a message via AIM to Zeke Send a message via Yahoo to Zeke
Default

< sup > came up at one point, < sub > hadn't yet. I'll add it.
__________________
FiveMinute.net: because stuff is long and life is short

[03:17] FiveMinZeke: Galactica clearly needs the advanced technology of scissors, which get around the whole "yanking on your follicles" problem.
[03:17] IJD: cylons can hack any blades working in conjunction
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:27 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.