Chemical reactions are part of our daily lives. From cooking in the kitchen, to driving a car, these reactions are commonplace. This list is aimed at some of the more exotic and amazing reactions that most of us have not seen or experienced. My knowledge of science is limited, so if I have made a blunder in my descriptions, please let me know so that I can correct them! Here are the top 10 amazing chemical reactions. Do not try these at home (but if you do – send us the video clips!)

Sodium is a highly combustible element and the addition of water can make it explode. In this video we see a drop of water added to a small piece of sodium in a flask filled with chlorine gas. The distinctive yellow color of the light emitted is due to sodium’s ‘D lines’ – this is often used in street lighting. This experiment produces a great deal of heat. When you combine sodium and chlorine, you get sodium chloride – common salt.

9Magnesium and Dry Ice Reaction

Magnesium ignites easily and burns very brightly. In this experiment, you see magnesium ignited in a shell of dry ice – frozen carbon dioxide. Magnesium is able to burn in carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Because of its brilliant light, it was used in early photographic flashes, and it is still used in marine flares and fireworks.

Potassium Chlorate is a compound containing potassium, chlorine and oxygen. It is often used as a disinfectant and in fireworks and explosives. When potassium chlorate is heated to melting point, any item added to it will cause a rapid disintegration in the form of an explosion (as we see in the video above). The gas coming off the potassium chlorate is oxygen. Because of this, it is often used in airplanes, space stations, and submarines as a source for oxygen. A fire on the space station Mir was attributed to this substance.

When a superconductor is cooled to below its transitional temperature, it becomes diamagnetic: this is when something is repulsed from a magnetic field rather than drawn in to it. This discovery by Meissner has lead to the concept of frictionless transportation, as an object could be “floated” along a track rather than “attached” to it by wheels.

Sodium acetate, when heated and cooled, becomes supersaturated in water. When it comes in contact with another object it re-crystalizes. This reaction also causes heat, and so this has a practical use in heat pads. Sodium acetate is also used as a preservative, and also gives salt and vinegar chips their distinctive taste. It is referred to in foods as E262 or sodium diacetate.