Where Is Sodium Found?

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into smaller pieces. These elements, ninety-two of which can be found freely in nature, include Sodium. Sodium, element number eleven on the Periodic Table, is very important to daily life. On the Periodic Table, sodium is known by its abbreviation, NA. This abbreviation comes from the Latin word “natrium” (a sodium compound).

The sun, as well as other stars, contain large amounts of this element. Sodium can also be found on Earth in many minerals, as well as in the crust of the planet. Sodium is the fourth most abundant element on Earth. Approximately 2.6 percent of the Earth’s crust is made of sodium. However, sodium is not found freely in the natural world. Rather, pure sodium is processed from sodium chloride in a factory.

Sodium is a very versatile element which can be found in various points both on Earth, as well as in space. Highly caustic and reactive in its purest state, when mixed with other elements and chemicals sodium forms very useful sodium compounds. Among these are some very well-known compounds - sodium chloride among others.  The applications of sodium, both in industry as well as in the home, are seemingly endless.

Discovery

Sodium was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy in 1807. Davy was a British chemist working at the turn of the 19th century when he discovered sodium. By running an electric current through wet potash and soda (both substances previously thought to be elements themselves), Davy isolated two elements - Potassium and Sodium. Not one to rest on his laurels, Davy went on to discover other elements. Among these substances were magnesium, calcium, strontium, and barium.

Attributes

In its purest form, sodium is a bright silver-colored metal. However, when exposed to air the element loses its luster. While soft (so soft, in fact, that it can be cut with the edge of a coin), pure sodium is also highly reactive; it can combust spontaneously, even on water. Sodium burns in air (though usually not in air with a temperature below 115° C). Sodium burns with a bright yellow flame.

Sodium also floats on water. This can be attributed to the fact that sodium is less dense than water. However, when sodium and water combine, two chemicals are formed - sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. If the heat brought about by this chemical reaction sparks this newly formed hydrogen gas, an explosion could result. This may not sound terribly useful, but when combined with other elements, sodium becomes more stable.

Uses

There are many applications for these sodium compounds: glass, soap, paper, chemicals, and petroleum to name a few. Of course, the most widely known sodium compound is sodium chloride or table salt.

Sodium Chloride serves a wide variety of functions. Besides being a flavoring and a preservative, sodium chloride is an essential part of animal and human nutrition. Salt allows the thyroid to function properly, ensuring that the animal or human grows properly. Sodium chloride is also an ingredient in many medicines. The various functions of this amazing element, from nutrition to industrial use, make sodium essential to life.

Metallic sodium is one of the most useful sodium compounds. Metallic sodium is used in industry to manufacture organic compounds (compounds containing carbon). It can also be used to purify molten metals. Metals like titanium, potassium, and zirconium are especially easy to purify with sodium. Metallic sodium is also a vital ingredient in rubber. These uses make sodium absolutely essential in manufacturing.

Other sodium compounds prove useful in everyday life as well. Soap is made chiefly from sodium salts of fatty acids.  Sodium is also a main ingredient in certain types of paper and textiles.

When working with sodium, great precaution and care must be taken. When exposed to air or water the element can ignite and/or explode. For this reason, most commercial users of sodium store the substance in liquid hydrocarbons (such as kerosene) in order to prevent a reaction.