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What metal burns readily in water?

Question #27627. Asked by Josh.
Last updated Feb 27 2022.

Related Trivia Topics: Sci / Tech  
Jimmy
Answer has 5 votes
Jimmy
16 year member
62 replies

Answer has 5 votes.
Caesium is fairly spectacular.

Also spelled Cesium, it is a soft silvery-gold alkali metal with a melting point of 28°C (83°F) which makes it one of the metals that are liquid at or near room temperature along with Rubidium (39°C), Francium (27°C), Mercury (-39°C), and Gallium (30°C). This element is most notably used in atomic clocks.

Cesium reacts explosively in cold water and also reacts with ice at temperatures above -116°C (157°K).

link http://www.3rd1000.com/elements/Cesium.htm

Sodium, and for what happens, go to:

link link http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Stories/011.2/

Response last updated by Terry on Oct 10 2016.
Feb 04 2003, 11:57 PM
sequoianoir
Answer has 4 votes
sequoianoir
21 year member
2091 replies

Answer has 4 votes.
There are at least five metals that 'burn' in water. Sodium and Caesium have already been mentioned. However, Potassium, Lithium and Rubidium also burn or explode. This page looks at the reactions of the Group 1 elements - lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and caesium - with water. It uses these reactions to explore the trend in reactivity in Group 1. All of these metals react vigorously or even explosively with cold water. In each case, a solution of the metal hydroxide is produced together with hydrogen gas.

link http://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/group1/reacth2o.html


Response last updated by gtho4 on May 15 2021.
Feb 05 2003, 1:02 AM
maypoet
Answer has 35 votes
Currently Best Answer
maypoet

Answer has 35 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Magnesium, lithium, sodium, potassium, caesium, and rubidium are all metals that will burn and react with water.

Potassium is so reactive with water that it has to be stored in oil because it will react with the moisture in the air. This is not true of magnesium or thermite, which have to be ignited with a very hot flame.

link https://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/group1/reacth2o.html


Response last updated by gtho4 on May 15 2021.
Dec 05 2008, 11:43 PM
wellenbrecher star
Answer has 0 votes
wellenbrecher star
19 year member
548 replies

Answer has 0 votes.
Just to give you an idea how powerful these reactions are for rubidium and caesium:

link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2uwzNZAp-s


Feb 27 2022, 2:58 PM
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