Sodium, symbol Na, is the most abundant alkali metal. We chose Sodium because; it reacts rapidly with water and with snow and ice. Sodium's atomic number is 11 and is in group 1 on the periodic table between lithium and potassium. Humphrey Davy first isolated it in 1807 by electrolysis of caustic soda. This element sodium is a soft, reactive, low-melting metal with a specific gravity (The McGraw Companies).
Sodium is a soft bright silvery metal that floats on water. It, like every other very reactive element is never found free in nature. Decomposition in water results in the evolution of hydrogen. Depending on the amount of oxide and metal exposed to the water, it may or may not ignite in air temperature below 115 C.
Metallic sodium may be used to improve the structure of certain alloys, descale metal, and purify molten metals. NaK, sodium with potassium, an alloy is an important heat transfer agent. Sodium compounds are important to the paper, glass, soap, textile, petroleum, chemical, and metal industries. Generally soap is a sodium salt of certain fatty acids. The importance of common salt to animal nutrition has been know since prehistoric times. (University of California) .
Thirteen isotopes of sodium are recognized. Some compounds that are of the greatest industrial importance are common salt (NaCl), soda ash (Na2Co3), and baking soda (NaHCO3). Metallic sodium is priced at about 15 to 20 cents a pound. In January of 1990 the cost was about $35 a pound. On a volume basis, it is the cheapest of all metals.
Sodium metals should be handled with good care. (It cannot be maintained in an inert atmosphere and in contact with water or other substances with which sodium reacts.) Some super oxide (NaO2), is formed when sodium reacts with oxygen at elevated temperatures. When exposed to air, freshly cut sodium metal loses its silvery appearance and becomes a dull gray color because of the formation of a coating of sodium oxide.
