If the chemical sodium is dropped into water it will immediately and violently explode.

Seriously? I assumed it would calmly explode. =\

no it doesn't not immediately

i saw that on mythbusters

you should see what happens with cesium or francium.

The word violently makes me desperately want to try.

isnt sodium salt?

No, sodium, in pure form is a alkiline metal, which react violently in water.(if i got my metal type right.)

Sodium is one of the elements that makes up salt. Salt can be many different combinations but table salt is NaCl Sodium (Na) Chlorine (Cl) = NaCl <----- SALT

Sodium is an Alkali metal, not an Alkaline(Earth) metal. Any Alkali metal (the entire left column on the periodic table) will explode in the presence of water. The lower in the column, the more powerful the explosion.

Man, i thought i was a nerd, but you guys are amking me seem like an idiot.

Sodium is not really that "violent" when in contact with water, it does react immediatley though. the reason you get a second or two delay in lab tests is because these highly reactive metals (Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidum, Caesium, Francium least to most reactive in that order) are kept in oils, as they also react with oxygen extremley quickly.

Sodium is classed as highly reactive, but will NOT explode violently, rather it will burn and run around the surface of the water very quicly. and will sometimes pop towards the end.

Potassium has a similar reaction but more energetic. and will almost always pop

Rubidum is where it starts to get violent, there is less burning and running around involved, and a very unexpected bang.

Caesium and francium do EXPLODE !! and are fun to watch.

david is right...i want to go try this out now.

I've done this before. It bubbles a bit and gets warm to the touch before dissolving. It's the most unreactive of the alkali metals

You then should see what happens when you combine nitrogeon and fire lol

it does react, but it probably couldn't be classified as a violent explosion. It kind of sparks and pops, that's it. Potassium provides the biggest explosion of the alkali metals, even though it is supposedly less reactive than Francium and Cesium, I forget the reason for this though.

Cesium and Francium are so reactive they bond almost immediately with something else to form a stable compound. finding any to throw in water without having a chemist separate it isn't likely to happen.