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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Sodium – Na

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Sodium is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Sodium. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one studies. Using the "Periodic Table of Elements Quick Navigation" graphic at the bottom of the sidebar menu, one can quickly jump from chemical element to chemical element.

Sodium Menu

• Sodium Page One
  • Overview of Sodium
  • Sodium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Sodium
  • Chemical Properties of Sodium
  • Physical Properties of Sodium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Sodium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Sodium Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Sodium

Overview of Sodium

• Atomic Number:11
• Group: 1
• Period: 3
• Series: Alkali Metals

Sodium's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Natrium
• Czech: Sodík
• Croatian: Natrij
• French: Sodium
• German: Natrium - r
• Italian: Sodio
• Norwegian: Natrium
• Portuguese: Sódio
• Russian:
• Spanish: Sodio
• Swedish: Natrium

Atomic Structure of Sodium

• Atomic Radius: 2.23Å
• Atomic Volume: 23.7cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius: 1.54Å
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture) _a/barns: 0.53
• Crystal Structure: Cubic body centered

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p⁶ 3s¹

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,8,1

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 1.02Å
• Filling Orbital: 3s¹
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 11
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 12
• Number of Protons: 11
• Oxidation States: 1
• Valence Electrons: 3s¹

  Electron Dot Model
  

Chemical Properties of Sodium

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 0.85775g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function: 2.75eV
• Electronegativity: 0.93 (Pauling); 1.01 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 2.598kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 5.139
  • Second: 47.286
  • Third: 71.641
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 14.1

Physical Properties of Sodium

• Atomic Mass Average: 22.98977
• Boiling Point: 1156K 883°C 1621°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: 70.6E^-6
• Conductivity

  Electrical: 0.21 10⁶/cm
  Thermal: 1.41 W/cmK

• Density: 0.971g/cc @ 300K
• Description:

  Soft silvery white alkali metal that reacts violently with water and oxidises rapidly when cut. Pure sodium must be stored in oil.

• Elastic Modulus:
  • Bulk: 6.3/GPa
  • Rigidity: 2.53/GPa
  • Youngs: 6.8/GPa
• Enthalpy of Atomization: 108.4 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 2.59 kJ/mole
• Enthalpy of Vaporization: 89.04 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class:
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Hardness Scale
  • Brinell: 0.69 MN m^-2
  • Mohs: 0.5
• Heat of Vaporization: 96.96kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 371K 98°C 208°F
  
• Molar Volume: 23.7 cm³/mole
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Solid
• Specific Heat: 1.23J/gK
• Vapor Pressure = 0.0000143Pa@961°C

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 7440-23-5
• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
  • No limits set by OSHA
• OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
  • No limits set by OSHA
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
  • No limits set by NIOSH
• Levels In Humans:
  Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
  • Blood/mg dm^-3: 1970
  • Bone/p.p.m: 10000
  • Liver/p.p.m: 2000-4000
  • Muscle/p.p.m: 2600-7800
  • Daily Dietary Intake: 2-15 g
  • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: 100 g
• Discovery Year: 1807
• Name Origin:

  From soda (Na2CO3); Na from Latin natrium.

• Abundance of Sodium:
  • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: 23000
  • Seawater/p.p.m.: 10500
  • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: N/A
  • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): 1910000
• Sources of Sodium:

  Obtained by electrolysis of melted sodium chloride (salt), borax and cryolite. Approximate annual world wide production: sodium metal, 200,000 tons; salt, 168,000,000 tons; sodium carbonate, 29,000,000 tons. Primary mining areas are Germany, Poland, Kenya USA.

• Uses of Sodium:

  Used in medicine, agriculture and photography. Liquid sodium is sometimes used to cool nuclear reactors. Also used in street lights, batteries, table salt (NaCl), and glass.

• Additional Notes:

  Sodium comes from the English word "soda" and from mideval Latin sodanum which means headache remedy. Sodium is the sixth most abundant element on earth comprising 2.6% of the earth's crust. It is the most abundant of the alkali metals. It never exists in nature, but is prepared by electrolysis of absolutely dry fused sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is common table salt which is important in animal nutrition. Other important forms of sodium are soda ash(Na2CO3), baking soda (NaHCO₃), Chili saltpeter (NaNO₃) which is sodium nitrate. In nature sodium is fount in soda niter, cryolite, amphibole and zeolite.

[Last update: 2/22/2007]

Sodium Menu

• Sodium Page One
  • Overview of Sodium
  • Sodium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Sodium
  • Chemical Properties of Sodium
  • Physical Properties of Sodium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Sodium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides
• Sodium Page Three
  • Common Chemical Compounds of Sodium

Related Resources

• Anatomy of the Atom
  Answers many questions regarding the structure of atoms.
• Molarity, Molality and Normality
  Introduces stoichiometry and explains the differences between molarity, molality and normality.
• Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
  Molar mass calculations are explained and there is a JavaScript calculator to aid calculations.
• Chemical Database
  This database focuses on the most common chemical compounds used in the home and industry.

Citing this page

If you need to cite this page, you can copy this text:

Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements - Sodium – Na. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. 1995 - 2009. Accessed on-line: 11/20/2009
http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Na.html
.