Wikijunior:The Elements/Sodium
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[edit] What does it look, feel, taste, or smell like?
Pure sodium is a soft and silvery metal. Sodium is prevented from contact with the air and water by immersion in oil. It is so soft that you could cut it with a knife.
[edit] How was it discovered?
Sodium was isolated by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807 from sodium hydroxide.
[edit] Where did its name come from?
Sodium gets its name from the English soda. In Latin it was called natrium.
Did You Know?
- Sodium is the sixth most abundant element overall.
- Sodium is the most abundant alkali metal, in the first column of the periodic table.
- Sodium ions taste salty in flavor.
[edit] Where is it found?
The most common compound of sodium is sodium chloride, better known as salt, which can be found in seawater and in the mineral halite. Sodium is relatively common in stars. Because sodium is highly reactive, it is never found in its pure state in nature.
[edit] What are its uses?
We use sodium everyday. Sodium chloride is used to help flavor food in the form of table salt. Sodium is also found in sodium bicarbonate, also called baking soda. Sodium is also used in some soaps.
Sodium is also required by the body for proper blood, brain cell action, heart activity, and more. It is so important that animals and people are adapted to tasting sodium. Sodium is salty.
[edit] Is it dangerous?
Sodium is highly reactive and may explode on contact with water. It may even cause fire. The strong alkali sodium hydroxide — also called lye — is very corrosive and should never be touched; neither should solutions of it.
