Watch the explosive reaction of sodium metal in water, captured in mesmerizing slow motion. See the intense chemistry unfold ...

Avoiding explosion However, the chemistry between alkali metals and water is known to be explosive. Sodium or other alkali metals immediately start to burn in water.

Leave it up to the experts and a special standalone test toilet to find out what happens when you flush sodium down the loo.

What do you think about this sodium metal and water experiment? Do you want to see even bigger bathroom-related explosions or do you think that toilet deserves a 21-flush salute?

The droplet of sodium/potassium metal first expands in response to its initial loss of electrons, creating spikes of metal that extend into the surrounding water.

Drop a chunk of sodium metal into water, and you'll see an incredibly violent reaction take place. But what's the quantum reason for it?

The reactivity series is a list that shows the order of reactivity of metals. The metals are ordered by comparing the observations of their reactions with oxygen, water and steam.

In a demonstration that defies certain basic assumptions in physics, researchers have created liquid sodium at room temperature under high pressures.