Sodium

Sodium
An Internet Hotlist on Sodium

created by lindsaygrobman10

Introduction

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Atomic Number: 11 Atomic Mass: 22.99 Element Symbol: Na Element Name: Sodium

Physical Properties: Soft, silvery, white alkali metal.

Chemical Properties: reacts violently with water usually resulting in an explosion, and oxidizes quickly when cut.

Toxicity: Sodium is toxic, it is irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and it can result in burns and permanent loss of sight.

Uses: Sodium is used and found in baking soda, paper, soap, petroleum, metal industries, and laundry detergent.

Manufacturing or Production: Chemical compounds of Sodium are created in high technical laboratories.

History/ Discovery: Sodium was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807, and was declared a distinct element in the 18th century.

Interesting Aspects: Sodium has a fiery chemical reaction when combined with water and other compounds, it is highly toxic and dangerous.

The Internet Resources

General Information
- Basic Information - This web site includes the basic information for the element sodium. The chemical symbol is Na. The Atomic number is 11 and the atomic mass is 22.989 amu. Sodium's boiling point is 883 c and the melting point is 97.72 c. Sodium contains 11 protons, electrons and neutrons. It is an Alkali Earth Metal and its crystal structure is Cubic.
- Web Element Sodium - This web site provides pictures and information regarding experiments with sodium and sodium salts. With the correct chemical combinations Sodium can react with other metal compounds to produce an orange/ yellow color. Another chemical experiment with Sodium salts produces an orange yellow flame, this is when (NaCl) is combined with the burning mixture of potassium chlorate and sucrose. Sodium does not need to be created in a lab, so it is very common throughout the world. Many sodium salts can be found in underground deposits, seawater, and other waters. Because of sodiums high melting point, it is a very difficult and expensive process.
Use of Sodium
- Common Uses - This web site provides its viewers with an entire list of links relating to Sodium. One of the links, History, includes a brief description of how potassium and sodium had no true distinction until the 18th century. Sodium was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807. The distinction was made when chemists discovered the difference between vegetable alkali, which can from the earth, and mineral alkali, which came from wood ashes. Another link includes uses of sodium. Common uses for the element include the use in the preparation of lead in gasoline, NaK is a heat transfer agent and a chemical reducing agent as well. Additional compounds in which sodium can be located is baking soda, soda ash, and caustic soda. Sodium is a key element in paper, soap, petroleum, and metal industries.
- Experiment - This site provides a documented experiment pertaining to Sodium, along with pictures, videos, and additional information. As shown in a video taped during the experiment, sodium is very soft and a wood chisel and some man power is all it takes to cut the element. A fiery explosion was one result followed by a loud bang, as the reaction of sodium, hydrogen gas, and air. This experiment produced flames, smoke, and sodium hydroxide. Safety precautions are provided for doing any similar experiments involving sodium. Butterflies collect sodium for their mates, and during this experiment, many were attracted to the sodium remains. Different amounts of each material for each procedure produces a different result, however each could be very dangerous, so people must be careful with their sodium experiments.
- Process for Creating the Flow Properties to Sodium-Production Filters Residues - This site is a brief over-view of how to create the flow properties to sodium-production filter residues. Fusion of sodium produces an electrolysis of around 600c. Many hydroxides and carbonates of sodium and calcium are present, and once they are all cooled, they can be separated at a lower temperature by a steel wire mesh filter. As the temperatures increase and or decrease, the hardness of the sodium is increased or decreases itself. The purpose of this filter is to have the result of a product with thin-fluid consistency above the melting point of the element sodium.
- Use in Diets - The common sources of Sodium are table salt, and many common over the counter drugs. It is a fact that healthy American adults should consume a diet containing less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily. There are many ways to reduce the amount of sodium in one's diet including eating frozen, fresh, or canned foods without added salts. A healthier choice in food is fat free foods, or low fat products such as low fat milk, cheese and yogurt. Limiting salty snack such as chips and pretzels will make for less sodium intake.
Eviromental and Bodily Effects
- Bodily Effects - This site explains some specific effects Sodium has on the human body. Sodium is brought into the human body through fluid and food consumption, and lost through sweat and urine primarily. When blood volume increases, there is too much sodium surrounding the cells and it causes human tissues to swell, this condition is called edema. The kidneys react to high blood pressure and control the level of sodium excretion accordingly to maintain the correct balance. The adrenal glands in the body also trigger a hormone which tells the kidneys to retain sodium and excrete potassium in its place, when blood pressure is too low, and there is a needed increase in blood volume. Hyponatremia is when the sodium in the body has been over dilated with water. Hypernatremia is when the amount of sodium is too high.
- Difference between Urinary Sodium and Urinary Calcium in Women - This web site provides informations about the difference between Urinary Sodium and Urinary Calcium in Women. Sodium has been proved to increase urinary calcium in humans and animals. Calcium and sodium behave similarly in urine from pre and post menopausal women. There is more less sodium in post menopausal women than in pre menopausal women. There is an increase in the fasting urinary sodium during menopause. This increase can cause in the excretion of sodium from the body, this can lead to calcium homeostasis.
- Enviromental and Health effects of Na - This web site includes some more basic information about sodium and also health and environmental effects of sodium. This element does not react with nitrogen, however it does react with ammonium resulting in sodium amide. It reacts with hydrogen and halogens, sodium barely reacts with carbon, however its reaction to alcohol is similar to the reaction that takes place when it is mixed with water. Sodium is required in the human body for nerve and muscle functioning, too much sodium can damage the kidneys and increase blood pressure. Exposure to sodium hydroxide fumes can be very irritating to the eyes, skin, nose, and throat, leading to coughing and sneezing. Too much exposure of the element to the eyes can result in burns and permanent loss of sight. Sodium in nature is very explosive and can be poisonous if combined with many other elements.
- Specific Health Tests - This site provides informations on health tests performed to test the effects of Sodium on the body. A person should get tested for hypernatremia or hyponatremia if they are experiencing dehydration, an increase or decrease in blood pressure, and also if laboratory tests require or advice additional examinations. The test is performed through drawing blood through a vein the arm, or a urine sample.
Structure and Characteristics
- Atomic Structure - This site contains a picture of the basic atomic structure of Sodium. It also provides some basic information; such as its color which is a silvery gray. The element sodium has 3 Energy levels; the first level contains 2 electrons, the second level contains 8 and the third and last energy level contains 1 electron. Sodium was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807 and it's name derives from the Latin word NATRIUM.
- Properties - This web site provides an entire table of contents on a variety of information for sodium. This element reacts violently with water and oxidizes when cut. Pure sodium must be stored in oil. Sodium's physical state is a solid. Sodium is found in humans in the blood, bones, liver, and muscles. Sodium is found throughout the world in the Earth's crust, seawater, atmosphere, and sun. We use sodium in medicine, agriculture, photography, street lights, batteries, table salt and glass. The name sodium derives from the English word, 'soda', and from the Latin word sodanum, meaning headache remedy.
- Useful Contents and Characteristics - This web site provides an abundance of notable characteristics and information about sodium. Sodium is needed by animals in their diet to maintain their blood levels, however plants do not need it in their diets. Animals enjoy the 'salty' taste of sodium in their foods. Another interesting fact is that the D spectral lines of sodium are the brightest. At the extreme pressure of about 100 gigapascals, sodium will melt at room temperature. It is believed this happens because the element has one free electron that is pushed closer to the other 10 forcing uncommon reactions.
Industry and Applications
- Chemical Industry and Applications. - This web site provides some brief information on the chemical industry, the applications and the storage of Sodium. Approximately one third of the entire world's sodium sulfate is a by-product of other chemical industry processes. Hydrochloric acid is the most important chemical sodium sulfate production. The next major production of sodium sulfate are those neutralized by sodium hydroxide. Sodium sulfate is a cheap metal commonly found in laundry detergents consuming 50% of the world production. The Kraft process leads to the manufacture of wood pulp, in which they are burnt to produce heat. Other than the glass industry, sodium is used in the textile industry as well. In japan mostly, the use of sodium is exercised when sodium sulfate reduces the negative charges in the fibers, allowing the dyes to penetrate evenly, in using sodium sulfate, the corrosion of stainless steel vessels in dyeing does not occur, as it does when using sodium chloride.
- Sodium Bicarbonate in Aquaculture - Detailed uses and misuses of Sodium Bicarbonate in aquaculture. Sodium bicarbonate is one of the worlds most widely used chemicals, next to sodium chloride, to the public it is commonly known as a pure chemical. It is used within a household for baking, deodorizing, cleaning, in toothpaste and even as an antacids for heartburn. Sodium bicarbonate has the ability to neutralize other acids and bases. The most common use of Na bicarbonate in aquaculture would be to remove carbon dioxide from the water. Because of sodium bicarbonate's ability to reduce carbon dioxide in water, which eventually suffocates fish, many fish farmers purchased it and the sales increased to incredible heights. Sodium bicarbonate is commonly used throughout the aqua cultural industry today.
Compounds and Minerals
- Handling, Na Compounds, Cost - This site provides detailed information about the element Sodium and some additional information. Sodium can be found in large abundances in the sun and the stars. Sodium is the most abundant Alkali Earth Metal and it is the sixth most abundant on earth. Sodium chloride is the most familiar compound, however sodium compounds with soda niter,cryolite, amphibole, and zeolite. Sodium is not found in nature, it floats on water and its decomposition in water results in the formation of hydroxide. Sodium has thirteen isotopes and metallic sodium is priced at 15 to 20 cents per pound; making it the cheapest of all metals.
- Sodium in Major Minerals - This web site provides notes on the appearance of sodium in minerals. The shifting of water in osmosis in one part of the body to another is effected by the fluid balance and variation of sodium. Sodium is also a major component in the acid-base balance of the body, with chloride and bicarbonate. The passing of metabolic materials through cell walls is one of sodium's active transportation mechanisms in the body. One last responsibility of sodium within the body is our response of nerve stimulations and muscle contractions.
Content by lindsaygrobman10, lgrobman@sbschool.org
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listsodiumli1.html
Last revised Wed Dec 12 8:38:16 US/Pacific 2007