Sodium, Physical and Chemical Properties

Synonyms

Alkali cations; Alkali metals; Monovalent cations; Sodium, Na

Definitions

CAS: Chemical Abstracts Service

Alkali Metal: Group 1 elements

Physical Properties: Sodium (Na) is a member of the group 1 of alkali cations, sometimes also referred to as group IA. Its atomic number is 11 and atomic weight is 22.98 g mol⁻¹. The metal is highly reactive and cannot be found in a free form. Being highly soluble in water (reacts with it exothermically), a monovalent (Na⁺) sodium cation is abundantly present in salt- and freshwater basins, soil, and earth crust. Sodium is also among the most prominent in the solar spectrum. It is also the most abundant type of alkali metals. It is most commonly found in complex with chloride (ordinary or table salt) but also occurs in other minerals such as natural zeolites, sodalities, and many others. A list of key physical properties of Na is collected in Table 1. Like the other alkali metals, Na has NMR-active nuclei (Na²³).

Sodium, Physical and Chemical...