💥 Sodium & potassium in water: virtual chemistry experiment
Alkali metals skate across water, fizzing; the indicator turns pink.
▶ Launch this experiment freeRuns in your browser on any phone, tablet or laptop. No sign-up, no install, no chemicals needed.
What you'll do
- Drop 0.2 g of sodium into the left beaker
- Drop 0.2 g of potassium into the right beaker
- Compare: potassium is more reactive (lilac flame)
The chemistry behind it
2Na + 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂↑. Reactivity increases down Group 1, so potassium ignites the hydrogen it produces.
Why do this experiment virtually?
Many school labs can't run this experiment safely or don't have the chemicals. In Faradium you set it up in seconds, repeat it as often as you like, change the amounts and see the real result: colours, gases, precipitates and temperature changes. The lab notebook records every observation with the balanced equation for your write-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you do the sodium & potassium in water experiment?
1. Drop 0.2 g of sodium into the left beaker 2. Drop 0.2 g of potassium into the right beaker 3. Compare: potassium is more reactive (lilac flame) You can run every step free in the Faradium virtual chemistry lab.
What is the chemistry behind sodium & potassium in water?
2Na + 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂↑. Reactivity increases down Group 1, so potassium ignites the hydrogen it produces.
Can I do the sodium & potassium in water experiment online for free?
Yes. Faradium sets up the bench for you and ticks off each step as you complete it. It runs in any browser on a phone, tablet or laptop with no sign-up and no chemicals.
Chemistry in this experiment
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