Question

What happens when sodium come in contact with air

Answer 1

Sodium reacts with the oxygen in air to form sodium oxide, and traces of yellowish sodium peroxide.

4Na+O2→2Na2O4Na+O2→2Na2O

2Na2O+O2→2Na2O22Na2O+O2→2Na2O2

The sodium oxide formed will react with water to give sodium hydroxide.

Na2O+H2O→2NaOHNa2O+H2O→2NaOH

The sodium hydroxide formed will react with carbon dioxide to give sodium carbonate, which is relatively unreactive to the atmosphere, barring the hygroscopicity.

2NaOH+CO2→Na2CO3+H2O2NaOH+CO2→Na2CO3+H2O

Note: I’m still a bit doubtful about the reaction of sodium metal with atmospheric water directly. Probably, the reaction with atmospheric oxygen will be faster, because I have never seen sodium metal turning whitish on exposure, though it does lose its lustre and and reactivity (just the surface

Answer 2

4Na + O2 ---> 2Na2O

When Sodium came in contact with air then it form it's oxide. Known as Sodium Oxide.

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