Sodium: The 11th Element Of Periodic Table Salt
Sodium was first discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807. This element is the 11th element found on the periodic table; located in group 1 and period 3. Its chemical symbol is Na and it is classified as a metal. Metals, by definition, means that they are elements that are luster, lose electrons very easily, malleable, ductile, and are great conductors of heat and electricity. Sodium is found in group 1 of the periodic table because the electronegativity of sodium is very low. This allows it to form cations by giving an electron to atoms with higher electronegativity, elements such as in the halogen family. The electron configuration of sodium consists of 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, and 3s1. Sodium is soft, but it is malleable and is a shiny metal at room
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temperature. This element can be shaped or bent and can be easily pulled or stretched apart into a thin wire. Sodium is also a good conductor of heat and electricity because the 3s and 33p atomic bands overlap each other which helps in the formation of a partially filled conduction band.
This element has a body-centered cubic structure and has a hardness of 0.5 mohs. Sodium is silver-white colored and it is in solid form at room temperature. The density of this metal is 0.968g/cm3. The molar mass of Na is 22.9898 g/mol. Sodium has a melting point that is below the boiling point of water; its melting point is 97.82oC. The boiling point of sodium is 883oC. Sodium is highly reactive with water and in the air with oxygen. Sodium can oxidize at room temperature when it is combined with oxygen. If sodium is burned, sodium forms sodium peroxide or oxide and if it is burned in oxygen under pressure, it would form sodium superoxide. It burns with a golden-yellow flame. Sodium also reacts with acids to form hydrogen gas and it can dissolve in mercury to produce sodium amalgam. Sodium is highly reactive with halogens to produce ionic salts chemically.
Sodium is classified as a member of the alkali metal group. Alkali metal group can be found in group 1 of the periodic table. Elements that are in this group include lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. They are considered to be soft and reactive metals. These elements react quickly with water. When it reacts with water, these elements tend to produce hydroxides and hydrogen gas. Compared to other metals in the periodic table, alkali metals have low boiling and melting points. They usually are extremely soft, which means they can be cut down by a knife. A few of the elements in this group have low density; lithium, sodium, and potassium will float above water. Sodium is more reactive than lithium but not as reactive as potassium. Sodium’s ionization energy is higher than potassium but not as high as lithium. Also, lithium is less metallic than sodium. Therefore, as we go down the alkali metal group, the atomic number of these elements increases, while their melting points decrease, densities increase and the elements become softer and more reactive.
Pure sodium is not found on its own in nature and cannot be used in its pure form in society since it is an extremely reactive metal. Sodium is a very active element because it reacts with oxygen at room temperature; the surface would be bright and shiny at first, but it would quickly become dull and grey when it reacts with oxygen in the air. Also, this element reacts violently with water. When sodium is first placed with water, it would float, but after a few seconds, it would react with water; it would start to release oxygen gas. During this reaction, a lot of energy is released and it is enough to start a fire on the hydrogen gas. The sodium metal reacts with the water and because of the large amount of heat that is released the sodium melts. The sodium metal becomes tiny balls of liquid sodium and the sodium is releasing hydrogen from the water in the same time. The hydrogen gas would then catch fire and eventually cause the tiny balls of sodium to react on the surface of the water. Sodium, however, is used in fireworks because it helps to produce bright yellow sparks.
Sodium is the sixth most common element on Earth and it makes up to around 2.6% of the Earth’s crust. However, most of the sodium chloride is found in the ocean; it is the second most common element that is dissolved in seawater. Sodium can be also found in alkaline lakes, mineral spring water, and salty lakes. This element always occurs as part of a compound or can be found in minerals. They are widely found in minerals such as amphibole, cryolite, niter, soda, sodalite, and zeolite. In addition, sodium is found in the sun and stars. The yellow components in the sun’s and stars’ light are the result of sodium atom during their high-energy state.
One of the most common materials found in the society that contains sodium is sodium chloride, NaCl.
Sodium chloride is table salt that is commonly used in the food industries as a flavor enhancer and preservative society. Sodium chloride is also used in glass production in society. Salt helps lower the melting points of ice or snow, therefore they are used in cold climates to help get rid of accumulating snow or ice. Sodium chloride is normally made by evaporating the sea water. Sodium chloride is a metal halide, which is made up of 40% of sodium, a metal, and 60% of chlorine, a halogen. It is a white crystalline solid that does not have an odor, but it has a salty taste to it. In addition, sodium chloride is easily soluble in water and it is a good conductor of electricity due to the free movement of the ions when it is in its aqueous state. However, when sodium chloride is in its solid state, they are not a good conductor of electricity. The density of this ionic compound is 2.165g/cm3. The molar mass of NaCl is 58.443 g/mol. Sodium chloride has a melting point of 801oC and its boiling point is 1,465oC. Its vapor pressure is at 865oC is 1mm Hg. Sodium chloride’s solubility is 35.9g/100g water at 25oC. Salt does not undergo combustion. However, the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride will form chlorine gas and metallic sodium. Also, the aqueous solution of sodium chloride will react with aqueous silver nitrate to produce silver chloride. When salt reacts with an acid, there would be a double displacement; for example, sodium chloride will react with sulfuric acid to produce sodium sulfate and hydrogen chloride. Sodium comes in other forms too and some different forms of sodium consist of baking soda, sodium nitrate, and washing
soda. Sodium chloride is different from its pure element, sodium. First, compared to sodium itself, sodium chloride is a molecule that contains sodium; sodium is an atom. Sodium and sodium chloride have opposite properties from each other. Sodium is very reactive with water and oxygen in the air, but sodium chloride doesn’t react with oxygen in the air. Lastly, sodium chloride is a stable crystal compound, while sodium is not a stable solid element.
temperature. This element can be shaped or bent and can be easily pulled or stretched apart into a thin wire. Sodium is also a good conductor of heat and electricity because the 3s and 33p atomic bands overlap each other which helps in the formation of a partially filled conduction band.
This element has a body-centered cubic structure and has a hardness of 0.5 mohs. Sodium is silver-white colored and it is in solid form at room temperature. The density of this metal is 0.968g/cm3. The molar mass of Na is 22.9898 g/mol. Sodium has a melting point that is below the boiling point of water; its melting point is 97.82oC. The boiling point of sodium is 883oC. Sodium is highly reactive with water and in the air with oxygen. Sodium can oxidize at room temperature when it is combined with oxygen. If sodium is burned, sodium forms sodium peroxide or oxide and if it is burned in oxygen under pressure, it would form sodium superoxide. It burns with a golden-yellow flame. Sodium also reacts with acids to form hydrogen gas and it can dissolve in mercury to produce sodium amalgam. Sodium is highly reactive with halogens to produce ionic salts chemically.
Sodium is classified as a member of the alkali metal group. Alkali metal group can be found in group 1 of the periodic table. Elements that are in this group include lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. They are considered to be soft and reactive metals. These elements react quickly with water. When it reacts with water, these elements tend to produce hydroxides and hydrogen gas. Compared to other metals in the periodic table, alkali metals have low boiling and melting points. They usually are extremely soft, which means they can be cut down by a knife. A few of the elements in this group have low density; lithium, sodium, and potassium will float above water. Sodium is more reactive than lithium but not as reactive as potassium. Sodium’s ionization energy is higher than potassium but not as high as lithium. Also, lithium is less metallic than sodium. Therefore, as we go down the alkali metal group, the atomic number of these elements increases, while their melting points decrease, densities increase and the elements become softer and more reactive.
Pure sodium is not found on its own in nature and cannot be used in its pure form in society since it is an extremely reactive metal. Sodium is a very active element because it reacts with oxygen at room temperature; the surface would be bright and shiny at first, but it would quickly become dull and grey when it reacts with oxygen in the air. Also, this element reacts violently with water. When sodium is first placed with water, it would float, but after a few seconds, it would react with water; it would start to release oxygen gas. During this reaction, a lot of energy is released and it is enough to start a fire on the hydrogen gas. The sodium metal reacts with the water and because of the large amount of heat that is released the sodium melts. The sodium metal becomes tiny balls of liquid sodium and the sodium is releasing hydrogen from the water in the same time. The hydrogen gas would then catch fire and eventually cause the tiny balls of sodium to react on the surface of the water. Sodium, however, is used in fireworks because it helps to produce bright yellow sparks.
Sodium is the sixth most common element on Earth and it makes up to around 2.6% of the Earth’s crust. However, most of the sodium chloride is found in the ocean; it is the second most common element that is dissolved in seawater. Sodium can be also found in alkaline lakes, mineral spring water, and salty lakes. This element always occurs as part of a compound or can be found in minerals. They are widely found in minerals such as amphibole, cryolite, niter, soda, sodalite, and zeolite. In addition, sodium is found in the sun and stars. The yellow components in the sun’s and stars’ light are the result of sodium atom during their high-energy state.
One of the most common materials found in the society that contains sodium is sodium chloride, NaCl.
Sodium chloride is table salt that is commonly used in the food industries as a flavor enhancer and preservative society. Sodium chloride is also used in glass production in society. Salt helps lower the melting points of ice or snow, therefore they are used in cold climates to help get rid of accumulating snow or ice. Sodium chloride is normally made by evaporating the sea water. Sodium chloride is a metal halide, which is made up of 40% of sodium, a metal, and 60% of chlorine, a halogen. It is a white crystalline solid that does not have an odor, but it has a salty taste to it. In addition, sodium chloride is easily soluble in water and it is a good conductor of electricity due to the free movement of the ions when it is in its aqueous state. However, when sodium chloride is in its solid state, they are not a good conductor of electricity. The density of this ionic compound is 2.165g/cm3. The molar mass of NaCl is 58.443 g/mol. Sodium chloride has a melting point of 801oC and its boiling point is 1,465oC. Its vapor pressure is at 865oC is 1mm Hg. Sodium chloride’s solubility is 35.9g/100g water at 25oC. Salt does not undergo combustion. However, the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride will form chlorine gas and metallic sodium. Also, the aqueous solution of sodium chloride will react with aqueous silver nitrate to produce silver chloride. When salt reacts with an acid, there would be a double displacement; for example, sodium chloride will react with sulfuric acid to produce sodium sulfate and hydrogen chloride. Sodium comes in other forms too and some different forms of sodium consist of baking soda, sodium nitrate, and washing
soda. Sodium chloride is different from its pure element, sodium. First, compared to sodium itself, sodium chloride is a molecule that contains sodium; sodium is an atom. Sodium and sodium chloride have opposite properties from each other. Sodium is very reactive with water and oxygen in the air, but sodium chloride doesn’t react with oxygen in the air. Lastly, sodium chloride is a stable crystal compound, while sodium is not a stable solid element.