Question

This room is made of a light gray metal. Again, the image of Mendeleev speaks. "This element

is so reactive with water that it must be stored in oil and it has an oxidation number of +1."
You and your friends remember seeing your science teacher explode some of this in a
demonstration. What element is this room made of?

Answer 1

The element described by Mendeleev is likely to be alkali metal, specifically either sodium (Na) or potassium (K). Both of these elements are highly reactive with water, so much so that they must be stored in oil to prevent them from reacting with atmospheric moisture. Additionally, both sodium and potassium have an oxidation number of +1 in most of their compounds. Sodium and potassium are both commonly found in everyday materials, including metals used in construction, so it is possible that the room is made of a metal alloy containing one of these elements