Is sodium a metal or a non-metal? It is a mistake to believe that the second option. Sodium is a soft, silvery-white metal that appears on the periodic table at atomic number 11.
Moreover, it (or rather its compounds) has been known since ancient times! Even the Bible mentions sodium as an ingredient in cleaning products. However, this is a historical note, albeit an interesting one. Now it’s worth talking about the features of this element and its other characteristics.
Physical properties
So, the answer to the question “Is sodium a metal or a non-metal?” very clear. Even just looking at this substance, you can understand everything. It is obvious that Which, by the way, although it has a silvery-white color, has a violet tint in thin layers.
This is a very plastic substance. Soft metals are those that can be forged without much effort and are also characterized by ductility and fusibility. But in relation to sodium, this word can be applied in the literal sense. It can be cut with a knife without effort. By the way, a fresh cut shines very brightly. Other properties include:
- Density. Under normal conditions - 0.971 g/cm³.
- The melting and boiling points are 97.81 °C and 882.95 °C, respectively.
- Molar heat capacity - 28.23 J/(K.mol).
- The specific heat of fusion and evaporation is 2.64 kJ/mol and 97.9 kJ/mol, respectively.
- Molar volume - 23.7 cm³/mol.
It is worth noting that under pressure, sodium (Na) turns red and transparent. In this state, this metal is very similar to ruby.
If you place it at room temperature, it forms crystals in cubic symmetry. However, by lowering it to −268 °C, you can see how the metal transforms into the hexagonal phase. To understand what we are talking about, just remember graphite. This is a prime example of a hexagonal crystal.
Oxidation and combustion
Now we can move on to the chemical properties of sodium (Na). This alkali metal, when exposed to air, easily oxidizes. As a result, sodium oxide (Na 2 O) is formed. It looks like colorless cubic crystals. This is a salt-forming binary inorganic substance that is used as a reagent in the synthesis process. It is used to make sodium hydroxide and other compounds.
Therefore, to protect the metal from oxygen exposure, it is stored in kerosene.
But during combustion, sodium peroxide (Na 2 O 2) is formed. They look like white-yellow crystals, which are characterized by vigorous interaction with water, accompanied by the release of heat. Na 2 O 2 is used for bleaching silk, wool, fabrics, straw, viscose and wood pulp.
Reactions with water
The silvery-white soft metal sodium also interacts successfully with H2O. The reaction with water is very violent. A small piece of sodium placed in this liquid floats to the surface and begins to melt due to the heat generated. As a result, it turns into a white ball, which moves quickly along the surface of the water in different directions.
This very spectacular reaction is accompanied by the release of hydrogen. When conducting such an experiment, care must be taken as it may ignite. And everything happens according to the following equation: 2Na + 2H 2 O → 2NaOH + H 2.
Interactions with nonmetals
Sodium is a metal, it can also be called a strong reducing agent, which it is. Like other alkaline substances, however. So it reacts vigorously with many nonmetals other than carbon, iodine, and noble gases, which include radioactive radon, krypton, neon, xenon, argon, and helium. Such reactions look like this: 2Na + Cl 2 → 2NaCl. Or here’s another example: 2Na + H 2 → 250-450 °C 2NaH.
It is worth noting that sodium is more active than lithium. In principle, it can react with nitrogen, but very poorly (in a glow discharge). As a result of this interaction, an unstable substance called sodium nitride is formed. These are dark gray crystals that react with water and decompose when heated. They are formed according to the equation: 6Na + N 2 → 2Na 3 N.
Reactions with acids
They should also be listed, talking about the chemical characteristics of sodium. This substance reacts with dilute acids like an ordinary metal. It looks like this: 2Na + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H2.
Sodium interacts differently with concentrated substances that are characterized by oxidative reactions; such reactions are accompanied by the release of reduction products. Here is an example of a formula: 8Na + 10NHO 3 → 8NaNO 3 + 3H 2 O.
It is also worth noting that the alkali metal sodium easily dissolves in liquid ammonia (NH 3), a 10% solution of which is well known to everyone as ammonia. The equation looks like this: Na + 4NH3 → - 40°C Na 4. As a result of this reaction, a blue solution is formed.
The metal also interacts with gaseous ammonia, but when heated. This reaction looks like this: 2Na + 2NH3 → 35 0°C 2NaNH 2 + H 2.
Other connections
When listing the main properties of sodium, it is also worth mentioning that it can interact with mercury, a unique element that under normal conditions is a white-silver heavy liquid, while being a metal.
As a result of this reaction, an alloy is formed. Its exact name is sodium amalgam. This substance is used as a reducing agent, its properties being softer than pure metal. If you heat it with potassium, you get a liquid alloy.
This metal can also dissolve in so-called crown ethers - macroheterocyclic compounds, but only in the presence of organic solvents. As a result of this reaction, an alkalide (a salt, a strong reducing agent) or an electride (a blue solvent) is formed.
It is also impossible not to mention that alkyl halides, which are halogen-carbon substances, with an excess of sodium give organosodium compounds. In air they usually ignite spontaneously. And in water they explode.
Application
The properties and characteristics of sodium allow it to be widely used in industry, metallurgy and preparative chemistry as a powerful reducing agent. In addition, this substance is involved:
- In the drying of organic solvents.
- In the production of sulfur-sodium batteries.
- In exhaust valves of truck engines. Plays the role of a liquid heat sink.
- In the manufacture of electrical wires that are designed for high currents.
- In alloys with cesium, rubidium and potassium. Together with these substances, sodium forms a highly efficient coolant, which, by the way, is used for fast neutrons in nuclear reactors.
- In gas discharge lamps.
And these are just some of the areas of its application. But the most common substance in the world is sodium chloride. It is found in almost every home, because it is table salt.
It is also impossible not to mention that the earth’s crust consists of 2.6% sodium. And in general, it is in 7th place in the ranking of the most common elements in nature and in 5th place in the list of the most common metals. It is impossible to find sodium in nature in its pure form, since it is chemically active, but it is found in huge quantities in the form of sulfate, carbonate, nitrate and chloride.
Biological role
So, all the basics on the topic “Is sodium a metal or a non-metal?” it was said. Finally, a few words about the biological role of this substance.
Sodium is an integral part of any living organism. Human is no exception. Here are his roles:
- Maintains osmotic pressure.
- Transports carbon dioxide.
- Normalizes water balance.
- Promotes the transport of glucose, amino acids, anions through cell membranes.
- Its exchange with potassium ions influences the formation of the action potential.
- Positively affects protein metabolism.
- Takes part in the hydration process.
Sodium is included in almost all products. But its main sources are salt and baking soda. Vitamin D improves the absorption of this substance.
Sodium deficiency does not occur, but problems associated with consuming insufficient amounts can occur during fasting. This is fraught with weight loss, vomiting, impaired absorption of monosaccharides, and the formation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract. In especially severe cases, neuralgia and convulsions occur. Therefore, it is better not to subject your body to severe starvation.
Early 19th century sodium called sodium. This name was given to the element by Humphry Davy, who managed to isolate the metal from alkali. The chemist slightly moistened it and subjected it to electrolysis. Wilhelm Hilbert suggested changing the name of the element discovered by Humphrey.
This is the author of the famous “Annals of Physics”. The scientist began to call sodium sodium. The work was continued by Jens Berzelius. A chemist from Sweden introduced the abbreviation sodium. Our next material is about the properties and role of this metal in people’s lives.
Chemical and physical properties of sodium
The element is included in the main subgroup of the 1st group, occupying the 11th position. All metals in the column are alkaline, so sodium. Water reacts with him. A caustic alkali is formed. Another common feature of the metals of the group is the presence of only 1 electron in the outer orbit of the atom.
This makes sodium a powerful reducing agent. An element readily donates an outer-level electron, increasing its oxidation state. The atom comes to the completed shell of the previous level.
Reducing activity is the reason for the absence of pure metal in nature. You can only find connections. So, sodium chloride- This is table salt. Sodium carbonate- baking soda. So, it was not for nothing that the metal was originally called sodium.
It could also be called neter. It is under this name that the substance appears in the Old Testament. As for, people began to use it back in Paleolithic times, that is, about 6,000 years ago.
Most energetic sodium interacts not only with water, but also with all non-metals. To obtain a delicate one from an active reducing agent, the 11th element is combined with. An amalgam is formed.
If, on the contrary, it is necessary to increase the aggression of sodium, oxygen is added to it. The result is peroxide, a powerful oxidizing agent. In its atmosphere, most substances ignite.
Difficulty and “character” sodium hydroxide. It is called caustic. The compound corrodes fabrics, skin, and other organics and materials made on its basis. True, in the air sodium hydroxide captures carbon dioxide and is neutralized, turning into carbonate.
When Humphry Davy managed to isolate pure sodium, the world learned what he was like externally. The metal is silvery white. Thin sections have a purple tint. Sodium formula makes it soft and pliable.
It can be cut with a regular knife and shines on the sliding surface of the blade. The element has a low melting point - 97 degrees. Sodium boils at 883 on the Celsius scale.
Pure metal conducts current and heat well and is not very dense. Its indicator for the 11th element is less than one. This does not discount the weight of sodium in biological processes.
Metal is found in both plants and animal tissues. Yes, in the human body sodium solution– part of blood plasma, digestive and lymph.
Osmotic pressure, for example, is maintained precisely by the 11th element. It was used not only by nature, but also by man. Mass of sodium goes, for example, for industrial purposes. Which? We'll talk about this in the next chapter.
Applications of sodium
In nature, the element is represented by only one stable isotope. Its mass number is 23. Another 15 isotopes have been created under artificial conditions. They are not stable, most are destroyed in a couple of minutes. Exception: - 22nd and 24th Na.
The half-lives of these isotopes are significant. The first one lasts for 2.5 years, actively emits positrons, which serves science. The half-life of the second is 15 hours. Enough to serve medicine and help leukemia patients.
In the field of nuclear energy, sodium has become a coolant. The “run-up” between the melting and boiling points of the element was useful. An interval of 800 degrees Celsius allows, for example, to fill the energy circuits of nuclear submarines with alkali metal. Sodium takes heat from the reactor without boiling.
It is possible to keep the temperature within reasonable limits due to the circulation of liquid metal between the reactor and the steam generator. In the latter happens sodium cooling, water evaporates. So it turns out to rotate the turbine with the energy of high-pressure steam.
The pure element is also useful in metallurgy. What role does it play in it? sodium? Instructions The application is as follows: the metal strengthens lead-based alloys. About 1.5% of the 11th element is sufficient. Sodium is also added to alloys of other metals. It is no longer strength that is achieved, but the refractoriness of the mixtures.
Wires are worth mentioning among the products. Buy sodium for their manufacture is more profitable than the usual one. The 11th element conducts electricity 3 times worse. But alkali metal is 9 times lighter.
This argument forced industrialists to switch to sodium buses for high currents. Thin wires continued to be made from the usual copper and.
Now, about the role sodium compounds. Peroxide not only ignites substances, but can also bleach fabrics. The 11th metal hydroxide is needed by oil workers. The compound purifies liquid processing products. Hydroxide is also purchased for the production of solid detergents. Without a caustic substance it is impossible to saponify the fats in them.
In parallel, the odorless white powder is also used in the production of textiles. Here the bet is on sodium chloride solution. The product can lighten both writing sheets and fabrics. The reagent is popularly called bleach.
Sodium tetraborate has become a cure for candidiasis and other vaginal infections. Sulfacyp sodium– a drug that helps with conjunctivitis and other inflammatory processes in the eyes. An antidote for salt poisoning and general intoxication of the body is sodium thiosulfate.
The food is popularly known as a remedy for heartburn. Sodium bicarbonate– an alkali that neutralizes stomach acid. The 11th element is also used for constipation. Helps out sodium sulfate.
In addition to the medical field itself, the element is also valued in cosmetology. Sodium acid- nothing more than hyaluronic acid. It maintains youthful skin. Injections are usually given into nasolabial folds and wrinkles. Acid fills them. In youth, hyaluronate is produced by the body, but with age the process slows down. You have to administer the drug from outside.
Pictured are foods containing sodium
Humanity was the first to appreciate sodium salts. But, in the 21st century, they learned the charm of the cyanide form of the metal. She helps mine. The jewel is melted in sodium cyanide. True, some other composite ores also pass into liquid form.
However, it is already easier to isolate gold from a complex melt than from solid masses. At the final stage they “connect” and... the precious metal is mined.
Sodium extraction
If a pure element is needed, it is extracted from ordinary table salt. Its deposits are found on all continents. If there are not enough resources, the waters of the seas are a storehouse of salt. Select from sodium chloride succeeds by melting it and subsequent electrolysis. Cathodes are made of iron or copper. Anodes are purchased from.
Sodium fluoride and potassium chloride are added to the salt. They reduce the softening temperature of raw materials from 800 to 500 degrees Celsius. This reduces sodium loss through evaporation. The method is doubly beneficial, because simultaneously with the 11th element, pure chlorine is also extracted.
Sodium price
The cost of the item depends on what is purchased sodium hydroxide solution, pure metal, its sulfate or other compound. The price tag also depends on whether it is purchased, for example, as part of a drug, or separately. There are many areas of use of sodium, hundreds and thousands of manufacturers.
Everyone has their own needs. Some substances are easily obtained in almost ready-made form, such as salt. It costs about 10-20 rubles per kilogram. Other sodium compounds must be synthesized, which increases their cost.
One way or another, humanity is ready to pay for the benefits brought to it by the 11th element. Its mining is active and, apparently, is not going to subside.
Sodium and its compounds have been known to people since ancient times. Probably the most popular and well-known compound is sodium chloride, better known as table salt. Table salt is an essential component of almost any dish. According to scientists, people began to eat table salt several thousand years ago.
Another popular compound is sodium carbonate. Sodium carbonate is regular soda that is sold in any store. The substance has also been used by people since ancient times as a detergent. Thus, people have been exposed to sodium and its compounds every day for many tens and hundreds of years. Sodium easily reacts with both metallic and non-metallic elements, forming alloys and compounds widely used in industry. Let's take a closer look at the properties and characteristics of this metal.
Characteristics of sodium
Physical properties
Sodium is a soft, ductile metal that can be cut very easily with a knife. It has a silvery-white color and a characteristic metallic sheen. Metal conducts heat and electricity well. Sodium atoms are connected by a metal bond.
Chemical properties
When reacting with other chemical elements, sodium atoms easily give up valence electrons. In this case, sodium atoms transform into ions with a positive charge.
- Sodium oxidizes very quickly in open air. This is why metal is usually stored in kerosene.
- When burned in oxygen, it forms the compound sodium peroxide (Na 2 O 2)
- When heated, Sodium reacts with hydrogen to form a hydride (2NaH)
- Sodium reacts quite easily with non-metals such as sulfur, porcelain and others.
- Sodium is also capable of reacting with metals. This produces various alloys that are widely used in manufacturing and industry.
- Sodium reacts violently with water.
Finding sodium in nature
Sodium is in seventh place on the list of the most common elements on Earth. Sodium is also the fifth most common metal. Among the metals, the only metals found more often than sodium are aluminum, iron, calcium and magnesium.
Sodium does not occur in nature in its pure form. The reason for this is the high chemical activity of sodium. The element occurs in nature as chloride, carbonate, nitrate, sulfate and other salts.
Where is sodium found in nature?
Firstly, a fairly high sodium content is recorded in the earth's crust. The proportion of the substance is approximately 2.6%.
Secondly, sodium and its compounds are found in large quantities in places where ancient seas evaporated.
Another place where sodium and its compounds accumulate is ocean waters. Scientists have calculated that all the salt that is in the World Ocean is about 19 million cubic kilometers.
Sodium is also found in small quantities in living things. At the same time, the sodium content in animals is slightly higher than in plants. Sodium ions in living organisms perform a critical function: they facilitate the transmission of nerve impulses.
Application of sodium in industry
Sodium is widely used in many industries: chemical, metallurgical, nuclear, food, light and other industries.
In the chemical industry, sodium is used to produce various detergents and cleaning products, fertilizers and antiseptics.
In metallurgy, sodium is used in the process of producing other substances such as thorium, uranium, titanium, zirconium and other compounds. Sodium acts as a reducing agent in such reactions.
Sodium is also widely used in nuclear energy. Sodium and its alloys are used as a coolant.
In light industry, sodium is widely used for leather processing.
Sodium is an essential element in the food industry. Sodium chloride, better known as table salt, is perhaps the most common food additive, without which any dish cannot be prepared.
Sodium is a simple substance located in the first group of the third period of the periodic table of chemical elements by D.I. Mendeleev. It is a very soft, silvery alkali metal that has a violet hue when divided into thin layers. The melting point of sodium is just below that required for water to boil, and the boiling point is 883 degrees Celsius. At room temperature its density is 0.968 g/cm3. Due to its low density, sodium can be cut with a regular knife if necessary.
Sodium is very common on our planet: its various compounds can be found here both in the sea or the earth’s crust, where it is found in relatively large quantities, and in many living organisms, but is not found in living nature in its pure form due to its amazing high activity. Sodium is one of the essential microelements necessary for normal human life - therefore, to replenish its natural loss from the body, it is necessary to consume about 4-5 grams of its compound with chlorine - i.e. regular table salt.
Sodium in history
Various sodium compounds have been known to man since ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were the first to actively use sodium-containing soda from the salty Lake Natron for various everyday needs. Sodium compounds were even mentioned in the Bible as a component of detergent, but sodium was first obtained in its pure form by the English chemist Humphrey Davy in 1807, during experiments with its derivatives.
Sodium was originally called sodium, derived from the Arabic word for headache. The word "sodium" was borrowed from the Egyptian language and was used for the first time in modern history by the Swedish Society of Physicians as a designation for soda-containing mineral salts.
Chemical properties of sodium
Sodium is an active alkali metal – i.e. It oxidizes very quickly upon contact with air and must be stored in kerosene, while sodium has a very low density and often floats to its surface. Being a very strong reducing agent, sodium reacts with most non-metals, and being an active metal, reactions with its use often occur very quickly and violently. For example, if you place a piece of sodium in water, it begins to actively ignite, which ultimately leads to an explosion. Ignition and the release of oxygen occur when sodium and its derivatives react with many other substances, but with dilute acids it reacts like an ordinary metal. Sodium does not react with noble gases, iodine and carbon, and also reacts very poorly with nitrogen, forming a rather unstable substance in the form of dark gray crystals - sodium nitride.
Applications of sodium
Sodium is mainly used in the chemical industry and metallurgy, where, most often, it is used as a reducing agent due to its chemical properties. It is also used as a desiccant for organic solvents such as ether and the like; for the production of wires capable of withstanding enormous voltages. In the same area, sodium is used as the main component in the production of sodium-sulfur batteries, which have a high specific energy, i.e. less fuel consumption. The main disadvantage of this type of battery is the high operating temperature, and, consequently, the risk of ignition and explosion of sodium in an accident.
Another area of application of sodium is pharmacology, where many sodium derivatives are used as reagents, intermediates and excipients in the creation of various complex drugs, as well as antiseptics. A solution of sodium chloride is relatively similar to human blood plasma and is quickly eliminated from the body, so it is used when it is necessary to maintain and normalize blood pressure.
Today, some sodium compounds are an essential component in the production of concrete and other building materials. Thanks to the use of materials containing sodium-derived components, they can be used in construction work during low temperatures.
Due to its abundance and ease of industrial production, sodium has a fairly low cost. Today it is produced in the same way as when it was first obtained - by exposing various sodium-containing rocks to a strong electric current. Thanks to this, as well as its necessity in many types of industry, its production volumes are only growing.
Sodium is a chemical element belonging to the first group of the periodic table of elements created by D.I. Mendeleev.
Sodium has atomic number 11 and its atomic weight is 22.99. Sodium is so soft that it can be cut with a knife. Its density (at 20°C) is 0.968 g/cm3. Has a melting point of about 98° C; and the boiling point of sodium is 883° C.
Sodium is a reactive and very active element; When stored in open air, it oxidizes very easily to form sodium carbonate and sodium oxide hydrate.
Sodium can form alloys with many metals, which are of great technical importance in science and production. Sodium and its alloys are widely used in many industrial sectors. In the chemical industry, sodium is used to produce sodium peroxide, tetraethyl lead (via the Na - Pb alloy), sodium cyanide, sodium hydride, detergents, etc.
In the metallurgical industry, sodium is used as a reducing agent in the production of thorium, uranium, titanium, zirconium and other metals from their fluoride compounds or chlorides. Sodium in liquid form, as well as its alloys with potassium, are used in nuclear energy as a coolant.
It is not surprising that sodium is one of the most common chemical elements in nature. According to various estimates, its content in the earth's crust reaches 2.27%. Even in living organisms it is contained in amounts up to 0.02%. Although sodium belongs to the group of metals, it is not found in nature in its pure form due to its high chemical activity. Most often it is found in the form of chloride NaCl (rock salt, halite), as well as nitrate NaNO3 (saltpeter), carbonate Na2CO3 NaHCO3 2H2O (trona), sulfate Na2SO4 10H2O (mirabilite), Na2B4O7 4H2O (kernite), tetraborate Na2B4O7 10 H2O (borax ) and other salts. Naturally, ocean waters contain huge reserves of sodium chloride.
In the food industry, it is table salt, which is very necessary for cooking; in the chemical industry, it is used to produce mineral fertilizers and antiseptics, and in light industry, sodium is used to treat leather. It is also widely used in metallurgical production, in the manufacture of gas-discharge lamps, and in the form of an alloy with potassium it is used as a refrigerant.
Without the use of its compounds (sodium formate and sodium fluoride), the development of the modern construction industry is impossible today; Since they are both an antifreeze agent and an excellent plasticizer in the production of high-quality concrete and various products made from it, construction work can be carried out at very low temperatures.
Sodium is often used as a coolant; an alloy of sodium with potassium is used in nuclear energy to operate nuclear installations. As a reducing agent, it is used to produce refractory metals (zirconium, titanium, etc.); as a catalyst, it is used in the production of synthetic rubber and in organic synthesis. Other sodium compounds are also very widely used:
- sodium hydroxide NaOH is one of the most important production components of the chemical industry, which is used in the purification of petroleum products, in the production of artificial fiber, in paper, textile, soap and other industries;
- sodium peroxide Na2O2 - used for bleaching fabrics, silk, wool, etc.
With all acids, Sodium forms salts, which are often used in human life and in almost all industries:
- sodium bromide NaBr - in photography and medicine;
- sodium fluoride NaF - for wood processing, in agriculture, in the production of enamels, etc.;
- soda ash (Na2CO3 sodium carbonate) and drinking soda (NaHCO3 sodium bicarbonate) are the main products of the chemical industry;
- sodium dichromate Na2Cr2O7 - used as a tannin and a strong oxidizing agent (chromic mixture - a solution of concentrated sulfuric acid and sodium dichromate - used for washing laboratory glassware);
- sodium chloride NaCl (table salt) - in the food industry, technology, medicine, for the production of caustic soda, soda, etc.;
- sodium nitrate NaNO3 (sodium nitrate) - nitrogen fertilizer;
- sodium sulfate Na2SO4 - indispensable in the leather, soap, glass, pulp and paper, textile industries;
- sodium sulfite Na2SO4 with sodium thiosulfate Na2SO3 - used in medicine and photography, etc.
- sodium silicate NaSiO3 is a soluble glass;
The price of sodium on the world market is not high. This situation occurs due to the very wide distribution of sodium and its compounds in nature, as well as the relatively inexpensive methods of its industrial production. Sodium in the form of pure metal is industrially obtained from molten sodium hydroxide or chloride by passing a large electric current through it. Today, the global consumption of sodium and its compounds amounts to more than 100 million tons, and the demand for it is increasing every year. It is difficult to name an industry where sodium is not used.
