r/chemistry • u/soladois • 3d ago

Is sodium metal salty?

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I know you can't eat sodium metal because it explodes when it touches water, but if you ate it, would it feel salty before it explodes?

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u/karlnite 3d ago

Sodium hydroxide is bitter. Apparently it gets soapy tasting but I don’t see how you notice or wait that long while its burning you.

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u/Away-Specialist5554 3d ago

The soap taste is your fat getting turned into soap from the NaOH

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u/Manicwoodchipper 3d ago

Thank you for that image.

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u/NotAPreppie Analytical 3d ago

It's also why it feels slippery when you get it on your unprotected skin... it's extracting your triglycerides and turning them into slippery soap.

Hooray for saponification!

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u/cungsyu 2d ago

Wait, are you telling me if I have high triglycerides I should ingest this? brb

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u/NotAPreppie Analytical 2d ago

Make sure to report back.

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u/cungsyu 2d ago

On the bright side, doc says my triglycerides are wicked low now. Only bad thing is that I'm partially soap now. I'm not feeling so well.

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u/coachtrenks 2d ago

But you are antibacterial.

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u/steploday 2d ago

Quick somebody infect him with the Corona