How Do You Find Out More About Sodium?
Sodium, the eleventh element in the periodic table, is best known for exploding with water. This element has much to offer students not only of science but also of history. A little research will produce fun facts about the uses, dangers and history of this fascinating element. Research the origins of sodium and find out why it is named for the English word “soda,” after caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). Also, make sure to look for facts on how sodium’s symbol, Na, comes from the neo-Latin word “natrium,” a sodium salt. Look for information about why the discovery of sodium is credited to Sir Humphry Davy in 1807 through the electrolysis of sodium hydroxide. Read about geology to understand why sodium is not found free in nature, but that sodium compounds are common. Research why salt is mined in Canada, China, Germany, Russia and the United States, and study mining and chemical manufacturing techniques to learn how it is obtained commercially through electrolysis of fused salt. Search
