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Understanding the element
Sodium (Na) is chemical element 11. It belongs to the alkali metals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in common salts, chemical synthesis and reactor coolant.
common saltschemical synthesisreactor coolant
Standard atomic weight22.98976928(2)
What its position in the table tells us
Sodium sits in period 3, group 1 and the S block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Sodium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Sodium has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses