In reply to H Veeder's message of Fri, 22 Aug 2014 02:32:18 -0400: Hi, [snip] >The novel part happens when the drop of metal turns black and then >transparent and then "explodes". >Harry > > >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIGMfai_ICg > >Invisible Metal (better than transparent Aluminium!)
I don't think it is transparent metal. IMO, what you see at the end is a droplet of molten alkali-hydroxide momentarily suspended on a layer of Hydrogen and steam. Molten hydroxide should indeed be transparent. Note that it doesn't become transparent until the dark blue disappears, which happens when there are no more solvated electrons, and that doesn't happen until the last of the metal is gone. Furthermore, while metal exists, heat is being generated to maintain the steam layer, once it's gone, the steam layer vanishes and the droplet makes contact with the water. Alkali-hydroxides dissolve in water quite nicely, particularly when hot, which is what causes the "explosion" at the end. Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://rvanspaa.freehostia.com/project.html
