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Sodium is a chemical element; it has symbol Na (from Neo-Latin natrium) and atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table. Its only stable isotope is 23 Na. The free metal does not occur in nature and must be prepared from compounds.
Sodium atoms have 11 electrons, one more than the stable configuration of the noble gas neon. As a result, sodium usually forms ionic compounds involving the Na + cation. [1] Sodium is a reactive alkali metal and is much more stable in ionic compounds. It can also form intermetallic compounds and organosodium compounds.
Group 1: Alkali metals Reaction of sodium (Na) and water Reaction of potassium (K) in water. The alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and Fr) are the most reactive metals in the periodic table - they all react vigorously or even explosively with cold water, resulting in the displacement of hydrogen.
The creation of sparks from metals is based on the pyrophoricity of small metal particles, and pyrophoric alloys are made for this purpose. [2] Practical applications include the sparking mechanisms in lighters and various toys, using ferrocerium; starting fires without matches, using a firesteel; the flintlock mechanism in firearms; and spark testing ferrous metals.
The most reactive metals, such as sodium, will react with cold water to produce hydrogen and the metal hydroxide: 2 Na (s) + 2 H 2 O (l) →2 NaOH (aq) + H 2 (g) Metals in the middle of the reactivity series, such as iron , will react with acids such as sulfuric acid (but not water at normal temperatures) to give hydrogen and a metal salt ...
Air sensitivity is a term used, particularly in chemistry, to denote the reactivity of chemical compounds with some constituent of air.Most often, reactions occur with atmospheric oxygen (O 2) or water vapor (H 2 O), [1] although reactions with the other constituents of air such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2), and nitrogen (N 2) are also possible.
For example, the statement that "sodium metal is reactive" suggests that sodium reacts with many common reagents (including pure oxygen, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, and water), either at room temperature or when using a Bunsen burner. The concept of stability should not be confused with reactivity.
Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, [1] [2] is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations Na + and hydroxide anions OH −. Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive base and alkali that decomposes lipids and proteins at ambient temperatures and may cause severe ...