[inboardshooter]

i am in an auto class so now i know how a car works. i am also in chemisty so im learning a little about elements. what if instead of using gas to make the piston in an engine move, you somehow used pure sodium and water to create the explosion to drive the piston down? Would it work?

[mike]

2Na + 2H₂O --> 2NaOH + H₂

Sodium reacts with water to produce NaOH and hydrogen gas.

You could calculate the pressure produced by a certain amount of Na using PV=nRT equation for ideal gas.

Also the hydrogen produced is flammable so could be burned in oxygen as a fuel.

Maybe you could produce the hydrogen first, then draw this into the cylinder with oxygen gas and ignite them, what do you think?

[Borek]

NaOH - byproduct - is highly corrosive. Your engine won't hold for long

[Mitch]

Engines canna take it much more, captain.

[mike]

NaOH - byproduct - is highly corrosive. Your engine won't hold for long

Yes good point Borek, I was wondering about this myself.

[jdurg]

The reaction between Na and water also can't really be timed.  The hydrogen actually comes off very slowly at first and then accelerates depending upon the size of the sodium and its exposure to water.  With an automobile engine, you want to be able to control when the 'explosions' happen in order to maximize the work done by the engine.