What would happen if sodium and potassium are placed in hot water?

The Group 1 elements in the periodic table are known as the alkali metals. They include lithium, sodium and potassium, which all react vigorously with water to produce an alkaline solution.

All the alkali metals react vigorously with cold water. In each reaction, hydrogen gas is given off and the metal hydroxide is produced. The speed and violence of the reaction increases as you go down the group. This shows that the reactivity of the alkali metals increases as you go down Group 1.

Sodium

When sodium is added to water, the sodium melts to form a ball that moves around on the surface. It fizzes rapidly, and the hydrogen produced may burn with an orange flame before the sodium disappears.

Potassium

When potassium is added to water, the metal melts and floats. It moves around very quickly on the surface of the water. The hydrogen ignites instantly. The metal is also set on fire, with sparks and a lilac flame. There is sometimes a small explosion at the end of the reaction.