People saying "sodium" when they mean "salt".

Nyktos

Those are not the same thing. If you ate sodium on your fries, you'd die pretty fast.

Icalasari

Mmm... Good old Sodium...

Tastes perfect when there is a pinch of Chlorine added!

Chagen

I have always wondered why two extremely deadly chemicals create a delicous and non-harmful spice.

Icalasari

Because the universe has a cruel - and DELICIOUS - sense of humour

ClockworkUniverse

Similarly, there's a party trick where you demonstrate the effects of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid. Then, you mix them together and drink it.

Icalasari

Can you explain the trick INUH?

ClockworkUniverse

It makes salt water.

Icalasari

...How did I miss Sodium Hydroxide being a base?

Chagen

So what happens if you mess up the trick?

Icalasari

You pray that the hospital is next door

Ponicalica

This is what you put on your fries!

Nyktos

@INUH: You'd better get the proportions pretty damn accurate if you're going to do that. O_O

ClockworkUniverse

Yeah, I've never actually tried it because of the proportions thing. It's pretty awesome in theory, though.

inkblot

It's a shorthand for "sodium ions".

randomtropeloser

Indeed, sodium nitrate is a different substance from sodium, and isn't even an element at all.  (I'm pretty sure it's a compound, actually)   On the bright side, people making this mistake gives me the perfect opportunity to turn dinner into a chemistry lesson.

Khwarizmi

Any substance with a name like that is a compound.