Energy Levels

Nucleus Electrons

Sodium at room temperature

Who discovered Sodium and when?

• Humphry Davy is credited with being the first to discover sodium as he was the first person to isolate the metal from caustic soda in 1807

What is sodium used for?• Sodium chloride is important for animal nutrition. Sodium

compounds are used in the glass, soap, paper, textile, chemical, petroleum, and metal industries. Metallic sodium is used in manufacturing of sodium peroxide, sodium cyanide, sodamide, and sodium hydride. Sodium is used in preparing tetraethyl lead. It is used in the reduction of organic esters and preparation of organic compounds. Sodium metal may be used to improve the structure of some alloys, to descale metal, and to purify molten metals. Sodium, as well as NaK, an alloy of sodium with potassium, are important heat transfer agents.