Sodium
Sodium is a highly reactive, silvery white, extremely soft metal element. The atomic number of sodium is 11 and the atomic symbol is Na. It was discovered in 1807 by British chemist Sir Humphry Davy.
Until the 18th century, scientists could not tell the difference between potassium and sodium. Eventually a distinction was made between the to by Sir Humphry Davy, who obtained it from a chemical process. (It is now obtained by electrolysis.) Sodium was used as a headache remedy by in the medieval times.
Sodium is not only present on earth; it is present in the sun and stars. Sodium makes up about 2.60f the earth&rsquos crust. It evaporates immediately on exposure to air. It reacts violently with water. Sodium melts at about 98 degrees C (208 degrees F), and boils at about 883 degrees C (bout 1621 degrees F).
Sodium is only found in nature in the combined state. It is mostly found in the ocean and salt lakes as sodium chloride, and sometimes found as sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate.
Sodium is a very reactive element. It may or may not ignite water all the time. Though it normally does ignite in air temperatures below 115 degrees C.
Metallic sodium is vital in the manufacture of esters. Sodium is in table salt as part of a compound. It is also in streetlights as a pure element and in batteries as an alloy. Sodium is found in as an alloy in nuclear reactor coolant. Sodium hydroxide, (a compound of sodium) is used in the manufacture of soap, rayon and paper.
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