Sodium atoms are an element that is often found on earth. As a chemical substance, sodium reacts very easily with other elements. A sodium atom has 11 protons, 11 electrons and 12 neutrons, with a melting point of about 98 Celsius and a boiling point of about 8830 Celsius.
About Sodium
Sodium is a chemical element, sodium is included in the atomic group no. 1. On the periodic table is marked with the symbol Na. Elements that fall into group I are also known as the alkali metals.
All members (lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium and also sodium atoms have a reactive character, meaning: naturally the alkali metals cannot be found in a singular form. To prevent the alkali metal elements from being too reactive, you can store them in oil,
sodium was first discovered by Sir Humphry Davy, he managed to isolate sodium later identified as an element, ie in 1807. sodium is a member of the alkali group of the most abundant in the earth. nearly contained 2.6% sodium contained in the earth's crust.
As a group 1 on the periodic table, sodium is also called an alkali metal, which has certain properties and characteristics that make it different from other metals. This difference makes Sodium studied more carefully in order to get as much benefit from it as possible.
As a miscible substance and adapted to its environment, Sodium is used in many ways. Food also uses this chemical. Humans are very creative in building their environment to suit their needs. Various studies were carried out in all fields to find out what else could be used to facilitate all human affairs.
Human intelligence is undeniable. The progress of the world today is inseparable from what humans have strived to get as much benefit as possible from the universe. Sometimes humans even seem to be overexploiting the earth and everything in it.
Characteristics and Properties of Sodium
The most prominent of the properties of sodium is very reactive, meaning sodium can easily bond with other elements. If sodium is added to water, the sodium will react and can produce hydrogen gas, if the amount of sodium is added to water in large quantities it can cause an explosion.
Sodium metal is silvery in color, and has a smooth and soft surface. If you put it in water it will float. To make it clearer, the following will mention the properties of the sodium atom based on chemical and physical characteristics.
The chemical properties of Sodium are as follows:
- It has the symbol: Na
- Atomic number: 11
- Mass number: 22,989
- Light yellow color
- In the periodic system it is classified as metal
- Isotope: 11
- Isomer: 3
- Radioactive isotopes 19 and stable isotopes : 1
- Pauli electronegativity ; 0.9
- Enthalpy of atomization : 108.4 KJ/mol
- Enthalpy of fusion : 2.59 KJ/mol
- Enthalpy of vaporization : 89.04 KJ / mol
- Heat of vaporization: 96 KJ / mol
- Molar volume : 23.7 cm3/ mole
- Ionic radius : 2.23 Armstrong
- Covalent radius : 1.54 Armstrong
- Crystal Structure : CCB body centered cube
The physical properties of Sodium are as follows:
- Melting point : 97.50 c
- Boiling point : 8830 c
- Density : 0.97 g/ cm3
- Standard potential: - 2.7 V
- Coefficient of linear thermal expansion : 70 ,6 x 10-5/ K
- Thermal conductivity : 1.41 W/ CmK
- Electrical conductivity : 0.21 x 10-6 ohm.cmSpecific
- Heat: 1.23 J/gK
- Vapor pressure : 0.0000143 Pa at 9610C
- Silvery white color
- If it is at standard temperature, sodium will be a solid
Because of its reactive nature, in nature sodium as a pure element is rarely found. Generally, sodium is found in the ocean as an ion. What is meant by sodium ion is a sodium atom that has undergone a change because it has lost or gained additional electrons, so it has a charge. Sodium ions are more stable, because they are stable, sodium ions are less reactive than pure sodium.
Sodium Compounds
The most commonly found in sodium is sodium chloride, which is commonly used as a seasoning (salt), and is also contained in other minerals such as soda niter, zeolite, amphibole.
Many sodium compounds are used for industrial purposes such as: soda ash, baking soda, caustic soda, sodium phosphate, sodium thiosulfate, borax and table salt. To be clear, follow the discussion about the benefits and uses of sodium / sodium atom.
Uses and Benefits of Sodium
1. Sodium with Sodium Compounds
Sodium is made from the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride mixed with calcium chloride. As a result, the reduction of Ca2+ ions is more negative than the reduction of Na+ ions. As a result, only the reduction of Na+ ions occurs in electrolysis.
The liquid can be used as a coolant (coolant) needed in nuclear detectors, used to treat certain metals, such as: potassium, lithium, zirconium, and alkali metals which have a large weight. can be used as a sodium lamp fluid which is widely used for street lighting.
2. Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
Sodium chloride is the most widely produced sodium compound, derived from seawater or rock salt. Sodium chloride is used as a raw material for the manufacture of sodium, chlorine and other compounds such as: NaOH, and Na2CO3 (carbonate).
Sodium chloride is used for: meat and fish preservative, dairy industry, skin processing, melting snow, for regenerating water softeners and used as seasoning (salt).
3. Sodium Carbonate (Na2Co3)
Sodium carbonate comes from nature, namely: the mineral trona. Sodium carbonate is most abundant in Wyoming, United States. There is also sodium carbonate which is made from sodium chloride which has undergone a solvay process. NaHCO3 or hydrogen carbonate is the product that has been separated, which is then heated to produce sodium carbonate.
Sodium carbonate is useful for making glass, especially glass vessels. other chemical manufacturing industries, Sodium Bicarbonate or so-called sodium baking soda which is the result of the solver process.
Baking powder is also a powder of sodium bicarbonate mixed with acidic substances, such as: potassium hydrogen tartrate. This mixture will not react if it is dry. but if this powder is already in the dough, it will release a reaction and produce carbon dioxide gas. commonly used for the development process of cake-making dough.
4. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
through electrolysis with sodium chloride solution. widely used in the soap, detergent, paper, textile, plastic and bauxite processing industries for aluminum and for the manufacture of other sodium compounds, for example: sodium hypochlorite.
5. Sodium Sulphate (Na2SO4)
Sodium sulfate is prepared from concentrated sulfuric acid with sodium chloride. The product of this reaction is called Glauber's salt, after its designer Glauber JR. Sodium sulfate is widely used in the paper industry. To produce 1 ton of paper it takes about 100 kg of sodium sulfate.
In the paper-making process, sodium sulfate is used to make sodium sulfide, which is then Na2S is used to dissolve wood lignin, which in turn produces wood pulp (pulp). Pulp is the material used to make paper.