Sodium
Alkali Metal
Sodium (Na) is a chemical element with atomic number 11, classified as a alkali metal. At room temperature it is a solid. It was discovered in 1807 by Humphry Davy.
Properties
- Atomic number
- 11
- Atomic mass
- 22.99 u
- Category
- Alkali Metal
- Group
- 1
- Period
- 3
- Block
- s-block
- Electron configuration
- [Ne] 3s¹
- Phase at STP
- Solid
- Density
- 0.971 g/cm³
- Melting point
- 370.95 K (97.8 °C)
- Boiling point
- 1156 K (882.9 °C)
- Electronegativity
- 0.93
- Atomic radius
- 190 pm
- Ionization energy
- 5.139 eV
- Discovery
- 1807 · Humphry Davy
Common uses
Table salt, soap, street lighting, chemical processing
Did you know?
Reacts violently with water and is essential for nerve function in living organisms.
Compounds you can make with sodium
Sodium appears in 9 compounds in our periodic table sandbox. Each one is a real substance with its true chemical formula — combine the right elements in the right ratio below to discover it.
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NaCl
Sodium Chloride (Table Salt)
Common table salt, formed when a violently reactive metal meets a poisonous gas.
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NaOH
Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
A strong base used in soap-making, drain cleaner, and paper production.
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Na2O
Sodium Oxide
A compound used in glassmaking and ceramics.
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NaHCO3
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
Baking soda — a mild base used in cooking, cleaning, and antacids.
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Na2CO3
Sodium Carbonate (Washing Soda)
Washing soda — a water softener used in glassmaking, cleaning, and detergents.
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NaNO3
Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter)
A nitrogen-rich salt mined in deserts, used as fertilizer and a food preservative.
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Na2SO4
Sodium Sulfate (Glauber’s Salt)
A salt used in detergents, glassmaking, and the kraft process for paper.
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NaF
Sodium Fluoride
Added to toothpaste and drinking water to strengthen tooth enamel.
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NaBr
Sodium Bromide
A salt once prescribed as a sedative and still used in photography and hot tubs.