Group+2

__EOS Chemistry Blog - Collins/Dominique__

__ The History of Sodium __
Sodium has the symbol "Na" which comes from the Arabic word "natrum". Sodium has the atomic number of 11 and has only one stable isotope. It is a Group 1 element, which is often refered to as an alkali metal.

Sir Humpfery Davy in 1807 first isolated sodium by passing an electric current through melted sodium hydroxide. The result from this electrolysis separated the hydroxide into sodium and hydrogen. Most sodium is already in combination with another element, such as sodium chloride (NaCl) found in salt mines or seawater. Because of this, electrolysis like Davy's is one of the few ways to obtain pure sodium.



__ Characteristics and Properties of Sodium __
At room temperature, sodium is soft enough to be cut by a knife. When exposed to air, the luster and shine of it will tarnish or fade. It is generally less reactive than potassium and more reactive than lithium. Sodium reacts exothermically in water. Once it has come into contact with water, smaller pieces will shoot off and bounce across the water's surface until they eventually dissolve into it, while larger pieces tend to explode. The reaction of sodium and water produces sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which are hazardous due to their flammability.



__ Sources __

 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium
 * http://www.webelements.com/sodium/
 * http://www.lab-initio.com/