What Happens if You Put Sodium on Ice? Does it Still Explode?

The Action Lab

24 Jul 201807:20

Summary

TLDRIn this experiment, the video explores the reaction of sodium when dropped on regular freezer ice and ice supercooled with liquid nitrogen. The hypothesis is that sodium will react with the thin layer of liquid water on regular ice, leading to a chain reaction and explosion. However, when supercooled ice is used, the absence of liquid water prevents the reaction, demonstrating that sodium's interaction with water doesn't always lead to a reaction, and it requires liquid water for the reaction to occur. The video also highlights the dangers of molten sodium and its potential to cause burns.

Takeaways

🧊 Regular ice from a freezer has a microscopic layer of liquid water on top, which can react with sodium.
🌡️ Supercooled ice with liquid nitrogen is cold enough to freeze any impurity layer, preventing sodium from reacting with water.
💥 Sodium reacts with liquid water, causing a chain reaction that can lead to an explosion.
🛡️ Safety precautions, like using a blast shield, are necessary due to the hazardous nature of molten sodium.
🚫 When sodium and ice are both at the temperature of liquid nitrogen, no reaction occurs because there's no liquid water.
🔥 Molten sodium is highly reactive and dangerous, as demonstrated by the burns it can cause.
❄️ The temperature of the environment plays a crucial role in whether sodium will react with water or not.
🌊 Even in the presence of oxygen, hydrogen will not react if the conditions are too cold.
🔆 When supercooled sodium is placed in warm water, a reaction eventually occurs.
🎥 The video is sponsored by Skillshare, an online learning platform offering classes in various fields.
🎁 Skillshare offers a Premium Subscription with unlimited access to classes, and a special deal for the first 500 people clicking the link in the description.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the experiment described in the transcript?
-The main focus of the experiment is to demonstrate the reaction of sodium when dropped on regular ice from a freezer and super-cooled ice with liquid nitrogen, and to explore the differences in these reactions.
Why does a microscopic layer of liquid water form on top of ice in a freezer?
-A microscopic layer of liquid water forms on top of ice in a freezer because there are always impurities such as dust or ions like sodium or calcium that keep a little bit of the water in a liquid state, even at cold temperatures.
What is the hypothesis regarding the reaction of sodium on regular ice versus super-cooled ice?
-The hypothesis is that on regular ice, the sodium will react with the thin layer of liquid water, causing a chain reaction that may lead to an explosion. However, on super-cooled ice, the extreme cold should freeze any impurity layer, preventing the sodium from reacting with water since both would be in a solid state.
What safety measures were taken during the experiment?
-The experimenter used a blast shield for protection against flying molten sodium, which is a crucial safety measure due to the dangerous nature of the reaction.
What happened when the experimenter touched the super-cooled ice with the sodium?
-There was no reaction when the experimenter touched the super-cooled ice with the sodium because there was no layer of liquid water on top of the ice, which is necessary for the sodium to react.
What was observed when the sodium and ice were at the temperature of liquid nitrogen?
-When the sodium and ice were at the temperature of liquid nitrogen, there was no reaction, indicating that the extreme cold prevented the sodium from reacting with any possible liquid water.
What occurred when the cold sodium was placed in warm water?
-Eventually, the cold sodium reacted in the warm water, demonstrating that the reaction between sodium and water requires liquid water, regardless of the temperature of the sodium.
How does the presence of oxygen affect the reaction between sodium and water?
-The presence of oxygen allows the hydrogen produced in the reaction to ignite; however, in the super-cooled ice experiment, even with plenty of oxygen, the hydrogen did not ignite due to the extremely cold temperatures.
What is the significance of the reaction between sodium and water?
-The reaction between sodium and water is significant because it is highly exothermic and can produce molten sodium, which is dangerous. Understanding the conditions under which this reaction occurs is important for safety and practical applications.
What is the role of impurities in the reaction between sodium and ice?
-Impurities, such as salt or other ions, can lower the freezing point of water, creating a thin layer of liquid water on top of the ice. This liquid water is necessary for the sodium to react, so impurities play a crucial role in facilitating the reaction.

Outlines

00:00

🧪 Experimenting with Sodium and Ice

The video begins with the presenter explaining an experiment involving sodium and ice. The presenter plans to compare the reactions of sodium with regular freezer ice and ice supercooled with liquid nitrogen. The hypothesis is that the sodium will react with the thin layer of liquid water on regular ice, causing a chain reaction that may lead to an explosion. However, with ice cooled by liquid nitrogen, the presenter expects no reaction due to the absence of liquid water and the solid state of both the sodium and hydroxide ions, preventing the necessary interaction for a reaction to occur.

05:03

💥 Observations on Molten Sodium and Cold Reactions

The presenter conducts the experiment, first with regular ice, resulting in a violent reaction as predicted, with molten sodium flying through the air. The presenter emphasizes the danger of molten sodium, sharing a personal experience of getting burned. Then, the experiment is repeated with ice cooled by liquid nitrogen. In this case, there is no reaction, demonstrating that the absence of liquid water prevents the sodium from reacting. The presenter also notes that even hydrogen doesn't ignite in such cold conditions. Finally, the presenter places the supercooled sodium in warm water, triggering a reaction. The video concludes with a sponsorship message for Skillshare, an online learning platform, and an invitation for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Sodium

Sodium is a highly reactive metal, typically stored in oil or kerosene to prevent it from reacting with moisture in the air. In the video, the experimenter drops sodium into ice to observe its reaction. The reaction between sodium and water is vigorous, producing heat, hydrogen gas, and molten sodium, which can be dangerous due to its intense exothermic nature.

💡Ice

Ice is the solid state of water, formed when water freezes at or below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). In the context of the video, the experiment involves using regular freezer ice and supercooled ice with liquid nitrogen to test the reaction with sodium.

💡Supercooling

Supercooling is a process where a substance, such as ice, is cooled below its normal freezing point without actually freezing. This creates a highly unstable state where the ice can react differently with substances like sodium compared to normally frozen ice.

💡Liquid Nitrogen

Liquid nitrogen is a cryogenic liquid with a boiling point of -196 degrees Celsius (-321 degrees Fahrenheit). It is used in the video to supercool the ice, reducing its temperature significantly and potentially preventing the reaction between sodium and any liquid water present.

💡Reaction

A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of substances into new products. In the video, the reaction of interest is between sodium and water, which typically produces sodium hydroxide, hydrogen gas, and heat.

💡Molten Sodium

Molten sodium is the liquid state of sodium that occurs when it reacts with water, producing heat and causing the metal to melt. In the video, the experimenter cautions about the dangers of molten sodium, as it can cause burns and explosive reactions.

💡Impurities

Impurities are substances that are mixed with a pure substance, altering its properties. In the video, impurities such as dust or ions like sodium ions in the ice are responsible for creating a thin layer of liquid water on the surface of the ice, which facilitates the reaction with sodium.

💡Chain Reaction

A chain reaction is a series of reactions where the product of one reaction initiates the next. In the video, the initial reaction between sodium and the thin layer of liquid water on the ice is expected to produce heat, which in turn melts more ice and sodium, leading to a chain reaction that can result in an explosion.

💡Hydroxide Ion

The hydroxide ion (OH-) is a negatively charged ion that can form when water molecules dissociate in solution. In the video, the experimenter suggests that the hydroxide ion in liquid water is necessary for the reaction with sodium to occur.

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning platform that offers a wide range of classes in various fields such as design, business, technology, and more. It provides a community for learning and skill development, with a subscription model that grants access to thousands of courses.

💡E-commerce

E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods or services over the internet. It involves electronic transactions and is a key component of the modern business landscape. In the video, the experimenter mentions taking courses on e-commerce as part of their learning journey on Skillshare.

Highlights

Experiment demonstration of the reaction between sodium and ice.

Comparison between regular freezer ice and ice supercooled with liquid nitrogen.

Explanation of the presence of a microscopic layer of liquid water on ice due to impurities.

Hypothesis that sodium will react with the thin layer of liquid water on regular ice.

Prediction that supercooled ice with liquid nitrogen will prevent the reaction due to the absence of liquid water.

Safety measures with a blast shield due to the dangerous nature of molten sodium.

Observation of molten sodium flying through the air during the experiment.

Demonstration of the reaction between sodium and regular ice resulting in an explosion.

Application of liquid nitrogen to supercooled ice to test the hypothesis.

Observation that there is no reaction between sodium and supercooled ice due to the lack of liquid water.

Explanation that sodium cannot react with hydroxide ions in solid state.

Conclusion that sodium plus water does not always result in a reaction and it requires liquid water.

Experiment of placing supercooled sodium in warm water resulting in a reaction.

Sponsorship mention of Skillshare and its offerings for online learning.

Promotion of Skillshare's premium subscription and its benefits.

Personal experience with Skillshare courses in various fields.

Invitation for viewers to subscribe and engage with the content for more experiments.