What kind of element is sodium

Sublimation The transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase without passing through a liquid phase. Relative atomic mass The mass of an atom relative to that of carbon This is approximately the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Where more than one isotope exists, the value given is the abundance weighted average. Isotopes Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

CAS number The Chemical Abstracts Service registry number is a unique identifier of a particular chemical, designed to prevent confusion arising from different languages and naming systems. Murray Robertson is the artist behind the images which make up Visual Elements. This is where the artist explains his interpretation of the element and the science behind the picture. Where the element is most commonly found in nature, and how it is sourced commercially.

Atomic radius, non-bonded Half of the distance between two unbonded atoms of the same element when the electrostatic forces are balanced. These values were determined using several different methods.

Covalent radius Half of the distance between two atoms within a single covalent bond. Values are given for typical oxidation number and coordination.

Electron affinity The energy released when an electron is added to the neutral atom and a negative ion is formed. Electronegativity Pauling scale The tendency of an atom to attract electrons towards itself, expressed on a relative scale. First ionisation energy The minimum energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom in its ground state. The oxidation state of an atom is a measure of the degree of oxidation of an atom.

It is defined as being the charge that an atom would have if all bonds were ionic. Uncombined elements have an oxidation state of 0. The sum of the oxidation states within a compound or ion must equal the overall charge. Data for this section been provided by the British Geological Survey.

An integrated supply risk index from 1 very low risk to 10 very high risk. This is calculated by combining the scores for crustal abundance, reserve distribution, production concentration, substitutability, recycling rate and political stability scores.

The percentage of a commodity which is recycled. A higher recycling rate may reduce risk to supply. The availability of suitable substitutes for a given commodity. The percentage of an element produced in the top producing country. The higher the value, the larger risk there is to supply. The percentage of the world reserves located in the country with the largest reserves. A percentile rank for the political stability of the top producing country, derived from World Bank governance indicators.

A percentile rank for the political stability of the country with the largest reserves, derived from World Bank governance indicators.

Specific heat capacity is the amount of energy needed to change the temperature of a kilogram of a substance by 1 K. A measure of the stiffness of a substance. It provides a measure of how difficult it is to extend a material, with a value given by the ratio of tensile strength to tensile strain. A measure of how difficult it is to deform a material.

It is given by the ratio of the shear stress to the shear strain. A measure of how difficult it is to compress a substance. It is given by the ratio of the pressure on a body to the fractional decrease in volume. A measure of the propensity of a substance to evaporate. It is defined as the equilibrium pressure exerted by the gas produced above a substance in a closed system.

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Jump to main content. Periodic Table. Glossary Allotropes Some elements exist in several different structural forms, called allotropes. Glossary Group A vertical column in the periodic table. Fact box. Group 1 Melting point Glossary Image explanation Murray Robertson is the artist behind the images which make up Visual Elements.

Appearance The description of the element in its natural form. Biological role The role of the element in humans, animals and plants. Natural abundance Where the element is most commonly found in nature, and how it is sourced commercially.

Uses and properties. Image explanation. The two lines in a circle represents sodium, and is one of the element symbols developed by John Dalton in the 19th century. Sodium is a soft metal that tarnishes within seconds of being exposed to the air. It also reacts vigorously with water. Sodium is used as a heat exchanger in some nuclear reactors, and as a reagent in the chemicals industry. But sodium salts have more uses than the metal itself.

The most common compound of sodium is sodium chloride common salt. It is added to food and used to de-ice roads in winter. It is also used as a feedstock for the chemical industry. Biological role. Sodium is essential to all living things, and humans have known this since prehistoric times. Our bodies contain about grams, but we are constantly losing sodium in different ways so we need to replace it.

We can get all the sodium we need from our food, without adding any extra. The average person eats about 10 grams of salt a day, but all we really need is about 3 grams.

Any extra sodium may contribute to high blood pressure. Liquid sodium has been used as a coolant for nuclear reactors. Sodium vapor is used in streetlights and produces a brilliant yellow light. Sodium also forms many useful compounds. Estimated Crustal Abundance : 2. Estimated Oceanic Abundance : 1.

Number of Stable Isotopes : 1 View all isotope data. Sodium's powdered form is highly explosive in water and a poison combined and uncombined with many other elements. Environmental fate: this chemical is not mobile in solid form, although it absorbs moisture very easily. Once liquid, sodium hydroxide leaches rapidly into the soil, possibly contaminating water sources. Read more on sodium in water Back to chart periodic elements. Recommended daily intake of sodium More from 'Elements'.

Toggle navigation. Home Periodic table Elements Sodium. About Lenntech. General Delivery Conditions. Privacy Policy. All rights reserved. Atomic number. Sodium Chemical element, symbol: Na, atomic number: 11 and atomic weight 22, Applications Sodium in its metallic form is very important in making esters and in the manufacture of organic compounds. Health effects of sodium Sodium is a compound of many foodstuffs, for instance of common salt.