For those who have followed Dr. Martyn Poliakoff’s Periodic Table of Videos since Xeni’s 2008 post, you may recall he didn’t have much luck with his first fluorine episode, settling for “just a few bits of glassware and some funny stories.” So he backtraced last month and found Eric Hope at the University of Leicester. Dr. Hope @ Leicester is clearly in his element when handling the highly reactive chemical. Watch as cold fluorine gas sets charcoal on fire on contact and burns holes through steel wool:
For those who just want the reactions without the charming scientist banter, here you go.