Orchid XP v7 wrote:
> ...everything is far less dangerous than you thought...")

Until you spill it in your eye, of course.

>> I was always intrigued by the metallic canister with the yellow and 
>> black international symbol for radiation on it, which resided in the 
>> physics classroom. Apparently in the later physics classes, they get 
>> to play with a Geiger counter.
> o_O
> You get radioactive stuff just to prove the counter works?!

Of course, how else do you demonstrate it? We did the old experiment 
where you demonstrate the penetrating power of the three types of 
radiation... paper, foil and lead etc etc. Most radioactive material 
isn't that dangerous unless it gets inside you.

>> Sodium is fun. XD

And sometimes loud.

> I recall Sodium as being yellow... (At least, unless you get it. The 
> resulting surface is silver, but corrodes faster than a Landrover.)

It's stored under oil to stop it oxidising. And it's soft enough to cut 
with a knife or scalpel, then you get the lovely shiny surface inside...

Have you seen the video of people dropping rubidium and caesium into 
water? That won't be done in the classroom anytime soon.


:)

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