I guess you could call this a “public service announcement”…. stop playing with sodium metal unless you realize the dangers, and I don’t mean the obvious danger from the explosion.

Sodium Metal Explosion

 

The explosion alone is enough to burn you severely… or take off a couple of body parts.  Notice the smoke after every sodium metal explosion?  That smoke is sodium hydroxide and it can severely damage your respiratory system.  Still not convinced? … read here.

Sodium metal is a Soft metal, Can be cut with a knife and its very reactive but its one step under Potassium.

Sodium metal reacting with water producing hydrogen then igniting.

Sodium + Water = Hydrogen + Sodium Hydroxide.
2Na+ + 2H2O + 2e? ? H2 + 2NaOH