Watch the video of Sarah’s science experiment at STEM Academy Nimitz! Hello parents, teachers, and students! Sarah demonstrates how soft and shiny metals react dramatically with water in this eye-catching experiment. Make sure to tune in to GMSA@9 on Wednesdays to see Meteorologist Sarah Spivey perform demonstrations and explain the science behind them. The Science with Sarah series is in partnership with the San Antonio Zoo and is copyright KSAT 2023 – All rights reserved.
To conduct this experiment, you will need a small piece of potassium (which can be purchased on Amazon), a paper towel, and a beaker of water. Remember to wear eye and hand protection before starting the experiment.
The steps to complete this experiment are as follows:
Step 1: Put on eye and hand protection.
Step 2: Dry a piece of potassium on a paper towel.
Step 3: Place the potassium in a bowl of water and step back.
Step 4: Watch as the potassium reacts explosively in the water.
The science behind this experiment is that potassium reacts with water (H2O) to form potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. This reaction is exothermic, meaning it generates a lot of heat. Because of this, some of the potassium may catch fire during the experiment.
If you are interested in having Sarah and David visit your school to conduct a live science experiment on KSAT, fill out the form provided. Winners are selected at random for this opportunity. Copyright 2024 by KSAT – All rights reserved.