Sodium

Sodium

Physical Properties of Sodium

• Sodium has a strong metallic lustre and in colour is very analogous to silver.
• It is soft at common temperatures that it may be formed into leaves by the pressure of the fingers.
• Sodium compounds soon tarnish on exposure to the air, though less rapidly than potassium.
• Sodium is instantly oxidized by water, hydrogen gas in temporary union with a little sodium being disengaged.

Chemical Properties of Sodium

What is Sodium?

• Sodium is a member of the alkali metal family with lithium and potassium. Being one of the two elements in our table salt is its the biggest claim to fame.
• We get sodium chloride (NaCl) when sodium bonds with chlorine (Cl). It is also used as a salt in fertilizers.
• Sodium is reactive, soft metal with a low melting point and most important of all the alkaline metals from the commercial point of view. Sodium reacts rapidly with water, snow, and ice to produce sodium hydroxide.
• When metallic sodium is exposed to air, it loses its silver appearance and develops an opaque grey colour layer which is a coating of sodium oxide. Sodium does not react with nitrogen even at very high temperatures but reacts with ammonia to form sodium amide.
• Sodium reacts with hydrogen above 200ºC to form sodium hydride. It also reacts with various metallic halides to form sodium chloride and the metal.
• With an atomic number of 11, it is represented by the symbol Na in the Periodic table.

Uses of Sodium

• It also used in improving the structure of certain alloys; soaps, purification of molten metals and in sodium vapour lamps.
• Sodium is a component of sodium chloride, which is a very important compound found in the living environment.
• Sodium is important in the manufacturing of organic compounds and in making esters.
• Solid sodium carbonate is required in making glass.