Research topic: sodium

sodium a metallic chemical element; symbol Na [Lat. natrium ]; at. no. 11; at. wt. 22.98977; m.p. 97.81°C; b.p. 892.9°C; sp. gr. 0.971 at 20°C; valence +1. Sodium is a soft, silver-white metal. Extremely reactive chemically, it is one of the alkali metals in Group 1 of the periodic table . Like potassium, which it closely resembles, it oxidizes rapidly in air; it also reacts violently with water, liberating hydrogen (which may ignite) and forming the hydroxide. It must be stored out of contact with air and water and should be handled carefully. Sodium combines directly with... Read more