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sodium [Na]
From the English soda, taken from the Latin sodanum, a common ancient headache remedy. The chemical symbol Na comes from the Latin word for sodium carbonate, natrium. First discovered & isolated by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807.
Occurrence:
1) 6th most abundant element in earth's crust
2) every gallon of seawater contains 1/4 pound of NaCl
3) never found free in nature
Characteristics:
1) a silver white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group
2) very reactive element: can ignite when mixed with water
Uses:
1) essential to most species, including humans
2) used it table salt, soda, glass, batteries, streetlights
3) NaOH is used as a base for lye, caustic soda, drain cleaners, oven cleaners
4) NaCO3is mixed with sand & lime to make glass
6) NaHCO3
7) liquid sodium is used to transfer heat out of nuclear reactors
Related
Na+
periodic table
General
alkali metal
Properties
SIZE: AW = 22.99
atomic number
VALUE: 11
VALENCE: NE 3S1
Database Correlations
PUBCHEM correlations
References
- Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, Miriam-
Webster Inc. Springfield, MA 1990
- Chemical & Engineering News, Sept 8, 2003