Sodium (Na)
A metal so soft you could cut it with a butter knife.
Sodium facts
- Symbol
- Na
- Atomic number
- 11
- Atomic mass
- 22.99
- Family
- Alkali metals
- Period
- 3
- Group
- 1
Famous reactions with sodium
- Flash! You made table salt!Sodium chloride (table salt) 2Na + Cl₂ → 2NaCl · At room temperature · Try it
- A liquid metal! Sodium meets PotassiumNaK (a liquid alloy) · At room temperature · Try it
- Fizz and whizz! Sodium meets WaterSodium hydroxide + hydrogen gas 2Na + 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂ · At room temperature · Try it
What does sodium react with?
Sodium makes a new substance with 12 other elements and chemicals in our lab:
- Sodium + HydrogenSodium hydride 2Na + H₂ → 2NaH · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + OxygenSodium peroxide 2Na + O₂ → Na₂O₂ · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + FluorineSodium fluoride 2Na + F₂ → 2NaF · At room temperature · Try it
- Sodium + PhosphorusSodium phosphide 3Na + P → Na₃P · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + SulfurSodium sulfide 2Na + S → Na₂S · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + ArsenicSodium arsenide 3Na + As → Na₃As · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + SeleniumSodium selenide 2Na + Se → Na₂Se · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + BromineSodium bromide 2Na + Br₂ → 2NaBr · At room temperature · Try it
- Sodium + TelluriumSodium telluride 2Na + Te → Na₂Te · When heated · Try it
- Sodium + IodineSodium iodide 2Na + I₂ → 2NaI · At room temperature · Try it
- Sodium + PoloniumSodium polonide 2Na + Po → Na₂Po · Only in a special nuclear lab (it is radioactive) · Try it
- Sodium + Hydrochloric AcidSodium chloride (table salt) + hydrogen gas 2Na + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H₂ · At room temperature · Try it
It also blends into a mixture, like an alloy, with 73 other metals when melted together.
Nothing happens when it's simply mixed with 10 of the others. 21 pairings have never been tried, because not enough atoms have ever existed.