this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] [email protected] 103 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

Chemist here: all the reds are correct but it would take so much time to explain why so many of the greens are super concerning. Every time I see this reposted it's so concerning...I should just spend the 17 minutes and save a copy pasta response of everything horribly wrong with this.

Edit: page 1 on the SDS for pure sulfur.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

You are absolutely fine licking sulfur, it is not going to do anything. In case of a solid block you are not even going to taste anything. Also what the fuck, sulfur is not poisonous, that MSDS is bullshit.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

The LD 50 for sulfur is 2000 MG per kilogram body weight. So you'd probably be fine licking it. You can't just go off the msds.

https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/15564/7/3/1#:~:text=The%20acute%20oral%20and%20dermal,higher%20than%205.43%20mg%2FL.

[–] [email protected] 47 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I'm pretty sure that licking pure magnesium would make your tongue explode too.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

I have elemental magnesium (4 ~50g ingots, I keep it in my library in a barely-sealed ziplock). it's shelf stable and doesn't react violently with water. Want me to try licking it and let you know? (hint: at worst it'll make a minuscule amount of milk of magnesia)

ETA: Would I stick my tongue in pyrophoric magnesium powder? No, and you wouldn't do that with pyrophoric aluminum or zinc powders, either, but that doesn't stop me from using (or licking) alumnum foil. Proof: https://invidious.darkness.services/watch?v=Q_4I30Nz_b0

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I would not be willing to lick calcium, too

[–] [email protected] 41 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Definitely not licking pure lithium, sodium, or any of the alkali (s-block) metals. My tongue is wet. That shit explodes in water, yo.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Magnesium is fine (see response above). https://invidious.darkness.services/watch?v=Q_4I30Nz_b0 Just don't vomit on it before you lick it, 'cause it'll get spicy with acid.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Mg is an alkaline earth metal, not an alkali metal. :). Still have zero desire whatsoever to eat elemental Mg.

But I did say s-block didn’t I. That’s on me, I set the bar too low.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, the only reason I replied was because you were responding to the calcium dude above, then said "s-block". Just wanted to spread the good word of the 9th-most abundant element in the universe 🙏

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago

Frankly I’m amazed I even got as much of that right as I did. It’s been more than 20 years since I took a chemistry class—a lot of them—but still. It’s been a minute.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

I wonder if you'd get a sort of leidenfrost effect limiting the extent of damage.

I'm not going to test that though.