Chemistry - Sodium

Introduction

• Sodium is a soft, silvery color, and highly reactive alkali metal.

• In the periodic table, Sodium is kept in group 1, as it has single electron in its outer shell.

• The symbol of sodium is ‘Na,’ which has been actually taken from Latin word ‘natrium.’

• In terms of abundance, sodium is the sixth element found in the Earth's crust.

• Sodium exists in various minerals including feldspars, sodalite, and rock salt (NaCl).

• In 1807, Humphry Davy first isolated sodium by the electrolysis of sodium hydroxide.

• By the time, 20 isotopes of sodium are known, but among all, only ²³Na is stable.

Salient Features of Sodium

• Following are the major features of sodium element −

  • Sodium metal a soft element that be can be easily cut with a knife.

  • Sodium is a good conductor of heat and electricity.

  • Because of having low atomic mass and large atomic radius, sodium is one of the least dense elements (third least dense element – first two are lithium and potassium).

  • Sodium can float on water.

  • Sodium along its compounds glow yellow (see image below).

• Sodium compounds have very high commercial importance and have high demand in the industries of glass, paper, soap, and textiles.

Sodium Compounds

• Following are some of the significant examples of sodium compounds −

  • Table salt -(NaCl)

  • Soda ash -(Na₂CO₃)

  • Baking soda -(NaHCO₃)

  • Caustic soda -(NaOH)

  • Sodium nitrate -(NaNO₃)

  • Sodium thiosulfate -(Na₂S₂O₃·5H₂O)

  • Borax -(Na₂B₄O₇·10H₂O)

Occurrence of Sodium

• The crust of Earth contains about 2.27% sodium.

• Sodium is the 5^th most abundant metal; other four are aluminum, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

• In the oceanic water, about 1.08 × 104 milligrams sodium found in per liter.

• Sodium does not found as a pure element, as it is highly reactive.

Uses of Sodium

• Following are the major uses of sodium −

  • Sodium chloride is highly useful for anti-icing and de-icing as well as a preservative.

  • In cooking, sodium bicarbonate is used.

  • Sodium and some of its compounds are used in medicines.

  • In comparison to potassium (which is a better ion), sodium is more frequently used because of its lower price and atomic weight.

  • In organic chemistry, sodium hydride is used as various reactions.

  • Metallic sodium is principally used for the production of sodium borohydride, sodium triphenylphosphine, azide, indigo, etc.

  • In some fast reactors, liquid sodium is used as a heat transfer fluid because of having the property of good heat conductivity.

  • Sodium is also an essential mineral for the human health, as it regulates blood pressure, blood volume, osmotic equilibrium, and pH value.

  • The minimum amount of 500 milligrams sodium is required every day for a healthy human body.