The Wonder of Sodium
Sodium is soft enough to be cut with knife. It is shiny
until it reacts with oxygen, which causes the surface to lose its
luster. (Sarquis, Sarquis, 2012)
Sodium is the 11th element on the periodic table, and its
symbol is Na (from the Latin name “natrium”). Sodium is one of
the most prevalent metals in the Earth’s crust, and because of
its ability to easily react with other elements, sodium is found
in awide variety of compounds. (Lichtenstein, 2014)
According to Silberberg (2010), large amounts of Na were
used as an alloy with lead to make gasoline antiknock additives,
such as tetraethyllead. The two most important alkali metals are
sodium and potassium. Their abundant, water-soluble compounds are
used throughout industry and research, and the Na+ and K+ ions are
essential to organisms.
Sodium is a mineral. In the body, it carries an electrical
charge - and a charged mineral is called an electrolyte. The body
regulates the level of sodium in the body through numerous
interacting processes because the concentration must remain in a
narrow range. If sodium levels deviate too high or too low, it
causes problems in the body. Sodium is important for fluid
distribution, blood pressure, cellular work and electrical
activity. (Mathew, 2013)
The melting point of the sodium is 97.8℃, then the boiling
point is 881.4℃, it’s silvery in color, the density is 0.97
g/cm3 and it reacts in water. (Silberberg, 2010)
If you ever get a chance to see pure sodium metal, you’ll
notice that it is silvery and lustrous. Pure sodium metal is very
soft and can be cut wit dull knife. It can conduct heat and
electricity; however it is rarely used for this purpose. The
melting point of sodium metal is 208.0 degrees Fahrenheit, and it
boils at 1621.3 degrees Fahrenheit. It is not a dense metal and
will float on water. The most common form of sodium has an atomic
weight of 23 amu (atomic mass units). However, the average atomic
weight of sodium is 22.99 amu.
Sodium derives its name from the word soda. It was first
isolated in 1807 from the electrolysis of caustic soda, NaOH.
Though sodium is an important mineral in your body, a diet that
is high in sodium is one of several factors linked to high blood
pressure, also known as hypertension. High Na+ levels cause water
retention, which results in increased blood pressure. Sodium is
not the direct cause of all hypertension, but reducing sodium
levels in the diet can affect individuals with a condition known
as salt-sensitive hypertension. (Sarquis, Sarquis, 2012)
Sodium is the sixth-most abundant element on Earth, according
to the Jefferson Lab.
Salt overdose is real. In 2013, doctors reported on the case
of a 19-year-old man who went into a coma after chugging a bottle
of soy sauce. The excess sodium in blood caused water to move out
of the brain into the bloodstream, causing seizures and then
unconsciousness. With emergency treatment, the man survived
without lasting side effects.
Yellow street lamps often owe their color to sodium. Sodium
lamps use a mix of neon gas and solid sodium to achieve their
golden hue. They were invented in 1920, according to the Edison
Tech Center(Pappas, 2015).
Conclusion
The researchers conclude that sodium is important for the
body of the humans, it’s responsible for the fluid distribution,
blood pressure, cellular work and electrical activity, but if the
level deviate too high it can cause problems to the body,
therefore our body must contain an exact amount of sodium so that
it can’t bring bad effects in our body.
Pure sodium is incredibly reactive; it reacts with water and
even oxygen in the air. It is often kept in mineral oil to keep
it from reacting with its surrounding.
References
Books
Sarquis, M. and Sarquis, J. L. 2012. Modern Chemistry. U.S.A.:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Silberberg, M. S. 2010. Chemistry. New York: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
Online Materials
Lichtenstein, D. 2015. “Characteristics of the Element Sodium”.
sciencing.com/characteristics-element-sodium-8403378.html.
Mathew, F. 2013. “Importance of Sodium”.
www.livestrong.com/article/499403-importance-of-sodium.html.
Pappas, S. 2015. “Facts about sodium”. www.livescience.com/28820-
sodium.html.
“Properties of Sodium”. study.com/academy/lesson/whatis-sodium-
properties.html.
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