Question

Why can't we react francium with water?

Answer 1

We can't?

Explanation:

Of course francium metal reacts with water with ALACRITY:

`Fr(s) + H_2O(l) rarr Fr^+ + HO^(-) + 1/2H_2(g)uarr`

`""^87Fr` is an unstable isotope, short-lived and highly expensive, and would be only available in milligram quantitities. Its reaction with water would be rapid and quantitative.

Answer 2

You would never be able to gather enough together to form a "piece" of Francium, let alone put it in water.....

Explanation:

Francium is an extremely unstable element. It occurs as a number of isotopes, but even the most stable one (`Fr_223`) has a half life of about 20 minutes!

`Fr_223` can be found in nature in certain radioactive ores, such as uranium ore. Within these, `Fr_223` is continually formed by radioactive decay and subsequently decays itself.

If you take the entire earth's crust, the most `Fr_223` you will ever find in existence at any one time is less than 50 g! So its pretty difficult to gather enough together to drop it into water!