sodium [Na]

Introduction

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

• 6th most abundant element in earth's crust
• every gallon of seawater contains 1/4 pound of NaCl
• never found free in nature

Characteristics

• a silver white soft waxy ductile element of the alkali metal group
• very reactive element: can ignite when mixed with water

Uses

• essential to most species, including humans
• used it table salt, soda, glass, batteries, streetlights
• NaOH is used as a base for lye, caustic soda, drain cleaners, oven cleaners
• NaCO3is mixed with sand & lime to make glass
• NaHCO3
• liquid sodium is used to transfer heat out of nuclear reactors

More general terms

• alkali metal

Additional terms

• Na+
• periodic table

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=924
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=923