
This alloy, called NaK, typically a liquid at room-temperature, is dangerously reactive with water and air. NaK acts as a heat transfer coolant, as a reducing agent, and catalyst). To begin with, the alloy of sodium and potassium (NaK) is used in various processes (e.x. Let’s discuss a few alloys and their uses/properties. Sodium forms alloys with several elements, including potassium, calcium, and lead. Hence, it’s very important that we monitor our body’s sodium levels by regulating our diets. Furthermore, if this sodium reaches unhealthy levels, then our bodies react to this change – sometimes, in the form of diarrhea, malnutrition, or hyponatremia/hypernatremia. During this ‘cycle,’ our blood/lymph fluids store the sodium. Moreover, this sodium enters our bodies through consuming foodstuffs, and it exits in the form of perspiration/urination. Sodium also maintains our nerve functions, muscle movement, and electrolyte balance. It acts as an electrolyte and mineral that regulates the fluid in our cells. The element sodium is extremely vital for our bodies. Additionally, speaking of potassium, sodium and potassium’s chemical and physical properties are quite similar. Other elements in the alkali metals family include: potassium, lithium, cesium, and rubidium. Sodium’s electron configuration is 1s 22s 22p 63s 1. Sodium has an electronegativity of 0.93 (Pauling Scale). Furthermore, sodium will readily bond with any element that needs a single electron. This element is in the alkali metals family, and it has only one valence electron. Sodium, atomic symbol Na, has an atomic number of eleven, and lies in group 1 on the periodic table, below lithium and to the left of magnesium. Large quantities of sodium were disposed of in a lake in an explosive fashion after WWII ( ).Researchers are trying to learn about different the sodium content of different stars, in order to predict their evolution.

So sodium’s elemental symbol ‘ Na’ is derived from this word. Latin for sodium carbonate is ‘ natrium’.A knife can cut through sodium metal quite easily.The element sodium accounts for 2.6% of the Earth’s crust.Sodium density is lower than that of water’s.Interestingly, 0.15% of your body is sodium.Sodium is the sixth most abundant element on Earth.

That is to say, Roman soldiers were often paid their allowance in salt, which was considered quite valuable in their time. The monthly allowance of Roman soldiers was referred to as ‘ salarium’ – in which ‘ sal’ is Latin for salt.

You might be familiar with table salt, which is NaCl (sodium chloride), a compound of sodium. It is one of the most reactive metals on the periodic table. Sodium, named after the English word ‘soda’, has compounds which are commonly used in our day-to-day lives. The element sodium is a soft, flammable, silvery-white metal. The Element Sodium Introduction to Sodium
