how can we prepare sodium extract?
Answers
By lab procedure: 1-Take a small piece of dry sodium in a fusion tube. 2-Heat the tube slightly on a Bunsen 3-burner so that the sodium melts to a shining globule. 4-Add a pinch of the organic compound. 5-Heat it slowly to start with so that the compound reacts with sodium metal. 6-Now heat the tube strongly till it becomes red hot. 6-Plunge the red hot tube into a china dish containing distilled water. 7-Crush the contents with a glass rod and heat to boiling point. 8-Stop heating and remove the insoluble matter by filtration. The filtrate is called Lassaigne's Extract. Precautions: 1.Sodium metal is highly reactive. When exposed to air, it reacts even with the moisture present in the atmosphere. It also reacts with the sweat of hands. Hence do not hold it with hands. Always use forceps while handling sodium. 2. Before using sodium, press it within the folds of the filter paper to remove kerosene oil. Use dry ignition tubes for sodium fusion. Sodium reacts with water violently. 3. Put the unused sodium piece back in the bottle containing kerosene oil. Do not throw it into the sink. Repeat the process of sodium fusion with three ignition tubes. This is to ensure that the fusion has taken place. 4. After immersing the red hot ignition tube in water, break it with a glass rod gently. Boil the contents for 2-3 minutes so as to extract the soluble sodium salts in water.