How many metals float on water?>>?

Answer 1

all those that are less dense than it...

ok, so I'm not sure but I can only think of lithium, sodium and potassium that kinda float when in their pure form but this is partly because they are reacting with the water, producing hydrogen bubbles which buoy them up. Potassium producing enough that it bursts into flame normally and sodium sometimes depending on the size of chunk. The remaining alkali metals all have explosive reactions with water.

Of course, freeze the water and most metals will stay above it...

ah, and a little search shows:

Answer 2

Depends on what you mean by "metal".

If the sample is solid (no voids or trapped air/gas), only Li, Na, and K will float. If you count hydrogen as a metal, it floats also.

The counter-examples that others have given (ships, alkali metals, etc.) aren't pure metals.

The ship example may be obvious.

The alkali metal examples needs abit of explanation. Namely, those metals react with water to form bubbles of hydrogen which many people (teacher, students, textbook authors...) think causes the sample to float (just like you can make raisins float, sink, float, etc. in a carbonated drink).

But if you coat the metal with a very thin layer of water-proof material (not exactly the first thing that comes to mind), the light alkali metals will still float without bubbles. Careless demonstrators get caught unawares also since alkali metals are usually stored in an oily material that repels water. They lop off an oily piece and drop it in. The usual fizzing doesn't happen, and they look over the top at about the time that a series of small explosions occurs (the xylenes trap enough of the hydrogen gas to form an explosive mixture).

There are several videos that show the reactions of alkali metals with water and if you carefully look at the cesium and rubidium reactions, you'll see the explosions occur under the surface of the water.

So, from the attached reference, Li, Na, and K are the only metals with densities less than 1.

Answer 3

Strictly speaking, all metals are more dense than water, so all metals will sink in water. Ships float in water because of the following:
1) Ships are also made from many other materials other than metal (such as fibreglass, glass, wood, etc)
2) The spread out surface area allows more of the buoyant force from the water to act on the ship (Archimedes Principle)
3) Water has high surface water tension

Answer 4

I am not a expert, but i would say depending on the shape every metal can float. I mean after all a ship's body is made out of metal.

Answer 5

One can make All metals float in water as long as it follows Archimedes principles.

Answer 6

if you are asking how many metals are less dense than water, then the answer is none.

Obviously ships are made from metal and float, but that is bouyancy, not a density issue.

Answer 7

Lithium, Sodium, Potassium Calcium.

all will react with the water to produce, heat, hydrogen and the metal's hydroxide

Answer 8

if you are asking about density then , all 6 of the alkali metals:lithim, sodium, potassium,rubidium, caesium, and francium .

Ships float on water but it is a matter of buoyancy and not density

Answer 9

all 6 of the alkali metals:lithim, sodium, potassium,rubidium, caesium, and francium