Pouring Molten salt into Water - Explosion!
Why Chemistry Stack Exchange recommends it
Chemistry Stack Exchange users link it as the reference footage when asking why molten NaCl explodes in water and how the Leidenfrost effect or vapor explosions apply.
Recommended by 0 people across 0 different months, 2016 to 2019.
What it is
A short high-speed-camera demonstration from TheBackyardScientist in which molten salt (sodium chloride) is poured into water and produces a violent steam explosion. The description links to academic papers on molten salt and aluminum explosions.
What people said
Cites shre_sudh_97 · 2016-06 · Chemistry Stack Exchange · on “Why exactly does molten NaCl explode, when it is poured into water?”
Why does molten $\ce{NaCl}$ explode, when it is poured into water? $\ce{NaCl}$ has a high melting point, $1074\ \mathrm{K}$ ( $801~\mathrm{^\circ C}$ ). $\ce{NaCl}$ has a molar mass of $58.44\ \mathrm{g/mol}$ , it has specific heat capacity of $36.79\ \mathrm{J/(K\cdot mol)} = 629.53\ \mathrm{J/(K \cdot kg)}$ . therefore the $\ce{NaCl}$ at melting point temperature has $491,033\ \mathrm{kJ/kg}$ more thermal energy than $\ce{NaCl}$ in STP conditions ( $1\ \mathrm{atm}, 20~\mathrm{^\circ C}$ , temperature difference $= 780\ \mathrm{K}$ ) According to one amateur video in youtube [this video] , the molten salt explodes when it is poured into water (c. 2:15) What is the exact cause of the explosion?
Cites Peter Johnmeyer · 2018-06 · Chemistry Stack Exchange · on “Why does the Leidenfrost effect (seemingly) not apply to the case of molten NaCl when it is poured into water?”
On pouring molten sodium chloride into water [this video] you can see that when molten $\ce{NaCl}$ ( table salt , i.e. sodium chloride ) is poured into water ($\ce{H2O}$) , the Leidenfrost effect [LINK] appears to be nonexistent, whereas it clearly manifests itself in instances where other molten salts such as sodium tetraborate [LINK] ( 1 [this video] ) ( borax ) and sodium carbonate [LINK] ( 2 [this video] ) are poured into water. Why does the Leidenfrost effect [LINK] in molten NaCl last much shorter than that of the other salts, appearing to be nonexistent? Input from paracetamol [LINK] : " The Leidenfrost effect (physical phenomenon) does show up. See the "cushion" of water vapour around the blob of m
Cites got trolled too much this week · 2019-04 · Chemistry Stack Exchange · on “What are we seeing in this AC salt-water copper-wire experiment?”
@MaxW: presumably if the current was high enough it could have the same effect as dropping something very hot in water, which can result in a vapor-related explosion, e.g. [this video]