1. Sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, occurring
in large quantities as common salt, NaCl, and yet sodium metal wasn't first
produced until the early 19th century.
a. From your knowledge of the position of sodium in the reactivity series,
suggest a method for manufacturing sodium from sodium chloride. You
aren't expected to give details of the manufacturing process, but should
describe and explain (including equation(s) where relevant) how sodium is
formed in your process.
b. Suggest why sodium wasn't produced until the early 19th century.
c. Suggest three other metals which might have been first isolated from
their compounds at the same sort of time.
Answers
Answered by
2
Answer:
Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1 of the periodic table.
Answered by
1
Answer:
2 ▶ a Sodium is high in the reactivity series, and so will need
to be produced by electrolysis. It can be manufactured
by electrolysing molten sodium chloride using suitable
electrodes (industrially, carbon anode, steel cathode),
keeping the sodium and chlorine apart to prevent them
from reacting back to give sodium chloride again.
Sodium would be released at the cathode:
Na+(l) + e– → Na(l)
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