Sodium (Na)
"Meet 'Sparky Sodium,' the electrifying hero keeping your nerves and muscles firing. Just don't let him near water – he prefers to make a *splash* of a different kind!"
A memorable persona to anchor Na in your mind.
0.971
Grams per cm³
97.794
Celsius (°C)
227
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
It's the 'Na' in the 'NaCl' that sprinkles flavor onto your fries!
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1807
Discovered By
Humphry Davy
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the English word ''soda''."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
22.99 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
882.94°C
Electron Configuration
[Ne] 3s1
1st Ionization Energy
5.139 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A soft, silvery-white metal that quickly dulls when exposed to air."
Did You Know?
Sodium is SO reactive, it bursts into flames and explodes on contact with water, releasing hydrogen gas!
Your body needs sodium to function! It's critical for nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and maintaining fluid balance.
The element symbol 'Na' comes from the Latin word 'natrium', which originally referred to a type of natural salt.
Sodium is the 6th most abundant element in Earth's crust and absolutely *dominates* the ocean's salt content!