The Instrumentation Center

Sodium


na

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contributor: Debra Pittman

About the Display: This display features:

  • Youngblood brand eyeshadow - Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics use all natural minerals for their cosmetics instead of chemicals normally found in makeup. Among the ingredients are ultramarines (aluminum and sodium with sulfides or sulfates) titanium dioxide, iron oxides, chromium oxide greens, manganese violet, bismuth oxychloride, and ferric ferrocyanide
  • A salt shaker - probably the most well-known form of sodium, table salt is made of sodium chloride
  • Rock salt - used to lower the freezing point of water on walkways, rock salt is also composed of sodium chloride
  • A piece of pizza - when making pizza dough, salt is added to retard the yeast and keep it from expanding too much or becoming mushy after rising
  • Pure sodium metal - Pure sodium must be stored under oil, as it oxidizes very quickly in air. In water, pure sodium metal catches fire and explodes!

About the Contributor: Debra Pittman is a retired grandmother of 8. She owned a pizza shop for several years, which is where she got the idea to add a piece of pizza to the box!

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Symbol: Na

Atomic Number: 11

Atomic Mass: 22.99 u

Electron Configuration: [Ne] 3s1 

Year Discovered: 1807

Discovered By: Humphry Davy

Last Updated: 7/15/24