[Kaiser]

I didn't see anything else notable in the report... a small amount of bicarbonate, is there something not listed?  Or is table salt not the same as sodium phosphate?

table salt is sodium chloride

Kai

[dean]

I didn't see anything else notable in the report... a small amount of bicarbonate, is there something not listed?  Or is table salt not the same as sodium phosphate?

table salt is sodium chloride

Kai

     I guess its a little obvious that I didn't take much chemistry in school?    Thanks for clearing that up for me Kai, I'm trying to pick up what I can from you guys.  

Btw... the only sodium I can remember from school (middle school chemistry) was something that looked metalic, aluminum like.  It actually came in the shape of a solid cylinder.  The teacher toook out his pocket knife and cut off a little piece of it and told us not to do what he was about to show us.  He dropped the little sliver of whatever it was into a sink filled with water and it fizzed for a second and then BOOM!  It sent a gyser at least 6 feet into the air !  It was kinda cool so I've always remembered that.  

Edited to add:  I don't know what it was exactly but I always thought it would be kinda handy for fishing.   

[Kaiser]

This is a fun experiment that many of us saw in school and some of us wanted to get our hands on some sodium afterwards.

Elementary sodium is so reactive that it quickly pulls the oxygen from water molecules when it comes in contact with them. The result is sodium oxide and hydrogen. The latter ignites and burns explosively. The sodium oxide will react further with water and will become sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) which raises the pH. If there also is CO2 in the water sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) will form.

This is very similar to the recent tread about the addition of elementary sulfur to the water/mash only that sodium is a metal and will end up raising the pH.

Inorganic chemistry is fascinating, isn’t it. I’m lucky that I survived my childhood years unharmed.

Kai

[Hokerer]

I didn't see anything else notable in the report... a small amount of bicarbonate, is there something not listed?  Or is table salt not the same as sodium phosphate?

table salt is sodium chloride not sodium phosphate

[redbeerman]

I didn't see anything else notable in the report... a small amount of bicarbonate, is there something not listed?  Or is table salt not the same as sodium phosphate?

table salt is sodium chloride not sodium phosphate

Is there an echo in here?

[Hokerer]

Is there an echo in here?

Oops, yeah.  Got caught in the page 1 page 2 thing.  Thought post I was answering was the last one but it turns out it was just the last one on page 1.

[a10t2]

He dropped the little sliver of whatever it was into a sink filled with water and it fizzed for a second and then BOOM!  It sent a gyser at least 6 feet into the air !  It was kinda cool so I've always remembered that.

If you ever get the chance, have someone do that demo for you with rubidium. You have to pour it into the water while still under mineral oil, though - otherwise it will auto-ignite in air.

[dean]

This is a bit off subject but... how many of you can remember burning christmas paper?  When I was a kid it was something I looked forward to because it wasn't the same as the paper used today and the flames produced were the same color as the paper, the new paper just burns like regular paper... no real mineral content I guess?

Rubidium huh... is it something I can buy legally?  When I was a kid I wanted to make the biggest gun possible believe it or not, then I saw the movie about the moon gun and it kinda deflated my ego.     I love shooting rifles and guns of any kind, I hope I always feel that way... its as fun and maybe even more relaxing than homebrewing.  I guess its just something on a personal level that I've always been able to do well so I've always enjoyed it.  But I have to admit, I'd love to own a .50 cal and/or an AA12... and no... I'm not a psycho or anything, I just like them for what they are.

[a10t2]

Rubidium huh... is it something I can buy legally?

Buy it legally, sure. Shipping is a different issue. You might have to distill your own: http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=8699200&pfx=