Any chemist or chemistry major, etc?
Take a banana.
blend it with water
so now it is a liquid
add HCl
stir, shake, w/e
decant liquid.
Question #1: Does this liquid now have potassium ions
Question #2: If so, i looked up a value of -2.7 V, does this mean i could create a voltaic or electrolytic cell, apply 2.7 volts, and the potassium ions would solidify, therefore exploding because it is in an aqueous solution
Answer:
Right, I see where your going. You want to make a bomb out of a banana. Yes you could collect the potassium on an electrode in the solution with the electric charge. When you shut it down, they would react with the water. I dont think your going to have enough to cause even so much as a bubble.
You could conceiveably use fresh banana solution over and over again to get enough to make a pop.
You know your mental, right?
No, this will not work - you will just get a big mess. First, a banana just does not have the necessary concentration of potassium you are looking for, second the idea of adding acid is all wrong, it should be base.
The successful formation of K(s) from KOH(aq) was first done by Davy.
ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/potassium...
Here is a article that describe a complicated procedure that discusses the electrolysis of KOH and the production of H2 (actually formation of K(s) in small controlled amount - NO EXPLOSIONS - it's very good) - and they use it as a energy source.
Right click the link to down load the link then open it in acrobat.
ref: http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/h2h...
The potassium in bananas is in the form of salts, K+.It is a good source for our diet but not for collecting K. It i not strong enough to create a voltaic cell. K would not solidify because it is a very reactive metal, always seeking something to give its electron to.
I think I did this once on accident with sodium. It didn't explode, just lots and lots of bubbles. I should have tested it to see if it was basic but I didn't. Maybe potassium would explode because it's more reactive and has more heat released, but I think it would be difficult because you'd have to make a decent amount of hydrogen gas and you'd have a very dilute solution.
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