Alkali + water = boom

[hermanntrude]

you see, jdurg, I'm not stating that you're wrong, I'm just worried that you might be. It'd be better to not sell things illegally and find out you can, than sell thing illegally and then find out you shouldnt have been

[Gilded]

On the topic of sodium on eBay has someone actually seen/bought some recently? I thought eBay prohibited the sale of alkali metals some time ago. Not that you couldn't get them elsewhere, I was just wondering as there could occasionally be some pretty good deals.

[jdurg]

Not sure about E-Bay because I bought my couple ounces of sodium many years ago before E-Bay really turned sour on anything that might be dangerous. So I'm not 100% sure now.

 

you see, jdurg, I'm not stating that you're wrong, I'm just worried that you might be. It'd be better to not sell things illegally and find out you can, than sell thing illegally and then find out you shouldnt have been

 

Good point. Let's let it stay at that.

[alan2here]

The reason you can't do an experiment like that with even a gram of francium is that it's ridiculously radioactive.

Can't you just substitute hand for gloved hand or robotic arm and bath tub for lab tub?

[frosch45]

Can't you just substitute hand for gloved hand or robotic arm and bath tub for lab tub?

 

 

Not to mention its half life of the most stable isotope is 22 minutes, so it would be hard to make a significant amount without having the stuff you made before hand decay

[jdurg]

Even if there was enough on the planet to isolate, in the time it takes to produce the pure Fr it would have all decayed away. Also, as you go down the alkali metal group, the melting points get lower and lower. I would assume that Fr would have a melting point just at, or VERY slightly above room temperature. The INTENSE heat generated by the radioactivity would cause it to instaly melt and immediately react with anything in the area. Therefore, you wouldn't have any leftover as it would be nearly impossible to isolate.