in water the top reaction goes speedy and you get lots of heat, hydrogen gas and very strong base (alkali) water solution. exposed Li metal floating on water can get hot enough to ignite the hydrogen. In the right proportions and enclosure the hydrogen can go BOOM or flare with a pretty pink flame. Ingesting the lithium hydroxide (water) will also take care of the terror caused upon realizing that dumping more water on a lithium fire does not put it out. Lithium salts are very reactive neurologically- very convenient indeed.
2Li + 2H2O → 2LiOH + H2
4Li + O2 → 2Li2O
6Li + N2 → 2Li3N
in water the top reaction goes speedy and you get lots of heat, hydrogen gas and very strong base (alkali) water solution. exposed Li metal floating on water can get hot enough to ignite the hydrogen. In the right proportions and enclosure the hydrogen can go BOOM or flare with a pretty pink flame. Ingesting the lithium hydroxide (water) will also take care of the terror caused upon realizing that dumping more water on a lithium fire does not put it out. Lithium salts are very reactive neurologically- very convenient indeed.