Question

What happens when a small piece of sodium is dropped into ethanol?

Answer 1

 When a small piece of sodium is dropped into ethanol, sodium reacts with ethanol to give sodium ethoxide. Hydrogen gas is evolved in the process. This reaction can be represented by the following equation.

Answer 2

If a small piece of sodium is dropped into some ethanol, it reacts steadily to give off bubbles of hydrogen gas and leaves a colourless solution of sodium ethoxide, CH3CH2ONa. Sodium ethoxide is known as an alkoxide.