Lithium and Water

A small clump of lithium metal powder reacting with water with hydrogen formed burning, together with the metal.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Lithium
• and
• water
• Alkali
• metal
• Fire
• Chemistry

[PKJowker]

I don't get it? All youtube videos but 1 show lithium catching fire, but all scientific internet articles say lithium only fizzes, doesn't combust like sodium. So what's going on?

[evansp12]

This lithium sample is in a form of powder (though loosely clumped together). The powdered metal has larger surface area than the compact metal and so reacts more violently with water. Powdered lithium is rarely encountered by most people.

[J3ngl3f3tt]

isn't that sodium?

[evansp12]

@J3ngl3f3tt No!

[o0benja0o]

and I use this as medicine?!?!

[Littlecrewmember]

You spin me right round baby right round like a record baby

[wb5rue]

@J3ngl3f3tt Sodium would have produced a yellow flame, this one is more red so it's lithium

[DontShaveMe]

I came here from Nirvana ;P

[starsky1012]

@J3ngl3f3tt With sodium, an explosion would occur.

[MrExcopy]

and they say that what is safe.....

[DanielTseng100]

LIKES A MARIO VS DONKEY KONG FIREBALL

[fubleduck]

@evansp12 I womder if lithium can be good as solid ramjet fuel, as it appears to be the most energy dense in both volume & mass. It's reactive to both air & water(as indicated here), & another vid seemed to indicate incomplete combustion. So it's hard to tell.

[Stevobulfer]

This is sodium... Lithium doesn't catch fire on its own, but I could be wrong

[ms63129]

@oregonisboring Lithium in medicine is part of a compound and has already reacted. Same reason why people use a compound made out of poisonous gas and reactive metal (sodium chloride aka salt) on their food with no ill effects (aside that from excess sodium intake).

[oregonisboring]

If our bodies are 1/3rd water and lithium can start a fire when added to water, why do some people take lithium as medicine?