• Question: What is the most explosive element in our solar system?

    Asked by samuel1299 to Kate, Mark U, Tess, Yue on 15 May 2012. This question was also asked by ells8.
    • Photo: Tess Newman

      Tess Newman answered on 15 May 2012:

      This depends on what you mean by explosive…

      Some of the most ‘reactive’ elements are the alkali elements… you may have already met some of these in class, such as sodium and potassium. These react on contact with water. If you want to see how powerful they can get, look for videos on cesium and francium

      Otherwise, explosiveness just depends on the potential energy stored in the material. This could be nuclear, chemical, or due to pressure.

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