![]() Sodium is used extensively in metallurgy as a deoxidant and as a reducing agent for the preparation of calcium, zirconium, titanium, and other transition metals. Molten sodium is an excellent heat-transfer fluid, and, because of this property, it has found use as coolant in liquid-metal fast breeder reactors. In many organic applications, sodium is used in the form of dispersions in hydrocarbon liquid media. It is used in the purification of hydrocarbons and in the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons. In addition, sodium is employed in the production of dyes and dye intermediates, in the synthesis of perfumes, and in a wide variety of organic reductions. Sodium also is used as a starting material in the manufacture of sodium hydride (NaH) and sodium borohydride (NaBH 4). Substantial amounts of sodium are used in the manufacture of sodium alkyl sulfates as the principal ingredient in synthetic detergents. Significant quantities were used in the manufacture of tetraethyl lead as a gasoline additive, a market that disappeared with the advent of unleaded gasoline. Two of the earliest uses of metallic sodium were in the manufacture of sodium cyanide and sodium peroxide. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The yellow colour of the sodium-vapour lamp and the sodium flame (the basis of an analytical test for sodium) is identified with two prominent lines in the yellow portion of the light spectrum. It is also widely used as a heat exchanger and in sodium-vapour lamps. Inexpensive and available in tank-car quantities, the element is used to produce gasoline additives, polymers such as nylon and synthetic rubber, pharmaceuticals, and a number of metals such as tantalum, titanium, and silicon. Most processes for the production of sodium involve the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride. Sodium is by far the most commercially important alkali metal. It conducts heat and electricity easily and exhibits the photoelectric effect (emission of electrons when exposed to light) to a marked degree. Lighter than water, sodium can be cut with a knife at room temperature but is brittle at low temperatures. How well do you know their symbols? In this quiz you’ll be shown all 118 chemical symbols, and you’ll need to choose the name of the chemical element that each one represents. The periodic table is made up of 118 elements. Analysis of meteorites indicates that the silicate material present has an average content of approximately 4.6 atoms of sodium for every 100 atoms of silicon. Sodium has been identified in both the atomic and ionic forms in the spectra of stars, including the Sun, and the interstellar medium. The sodium content of the sea is approximately 1.05 percent, corresponding to a concentration of approximately 3 percent of sodium halides. There are huge deposits of rock salt in various parts of the world, and sodium nitrate deposits exist in Chile and Peru. Sodium is an important constituent of a number of silicate materials, such as feldspars and micas. In 1807 Sir Humphry Davy became the first to prepare sodium in its elemental form, applying electrolysis to fused sodium hydroxide (NaOH). SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!īecause sodium is extremely reactive, it never occurs in the free state in Earth’s crust.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians. ![]() COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.From tech to household and wellness products. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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