Sodium

Symbol NaAtomic number 11
Atomic mass
22.9897
Thermal conductivity
1.41
Atomic radius
2.23
Covalent radius
1.54
Density
0.97
Atomic volume
23.7
Melting point
371.0
Oxidation states
1
Boiling point
1156
Stable isotopes
1
Heat of vapor.
96.96
Electronegativity
0.93
Heat of fusion
2.598
First ionization
5.139
Specific heat
1.23
Electrical conduct.
...
Electron configuration

General descriptionNuclear data
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts
 
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Sodium

Sodium, like the other alkali metals (Group I), is a sivery-white metal of very high chemical reactivity.

Sodium is one of the big 8 elements in the Earth's crust, being the sixth most abundant element at about 2.8% by weight. It is a constituent of the plagioclase form of feldspar, one of the most abundant minerals on the earth.

The most important compound of sodium is sodium chloride, NaCl (common table salt). It crystallizes as colorless cubes. Comprising 3% of sea water and also occurring in large solid deposits and underground salt brines, NaCl is an abundant mineral. In crystalline form it is given the mineral name halite. It is important as an electrolyte in human blood and plasma, which contain about 0.9 grams of NaCl per 100 ml.

Sodium chloride is used for the extraction of metallic sodium and gaseous chlorine, as well as for preparation of other compounds of these elements.

Sodium borates such as borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate, Na2B4O7. 10H2O), kernite (sodium tetraborate tetrahydrate, Na2B4O7. 4H2O), and colemanite (calcium hexaborate pentahydrate, Ca2B6O11. 5H2O) form vast deposits of boron in California .

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a very important laboratory reagent and a widely used industrial chemical. Called caustic soda, it is very corrosive to the skin. It is used in the manufacture of soap, the refining of petroleum, the manufacture of paper, textiles, rayon, cellulose film, and many other products.

The properties of liquid sodium metal make it useful as a coolant in fast breeder reactors and as a heat transfer agent for very high temperature reactions.


NaCl
NaOH
Atomic dataNuclear data
Sodium spectrumSodium Zeeman effectEnergy level diagram
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts

Reference
Pauling
Ch. 26
 
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Sodium Nuclear Data

Z
A
Atomic
Mass (u)
Nuclear
Mass(GeV/c2
Binding
Energy(MeV)
Spin
Natural
Abund.
Half-life
Decay
Q
MeV
11
22
21.994434
20.4822
174.15
3
...
2.605y
b+
2.84
11
23
22.989768
21.4094
186.57
3/2
1
stable
...
...
11
24
23.990961
22.3420
193.53
4
...
14.97h
b-
5.51
Atomic data
Index

Periodic Table

Chemistry concepts

Reference
Rohlf
 
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