Sodiummmmm, Salty!
- Marcus Sherman
- Jul 8, 2019
- 2 min read
Sodium, symbolized on the periodic table as Na has an atomic number of 11 and an atomic weight of 22.989.
Sodium has only one electron in its valence shell and thus has a weak metallic bond and is susceptible to free electrons. At room temp and pressure, sodium is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal that, when in contact with water (H2O) undergoes a violent exothermic reaction resulting in a very satisfying explosion.
Sodium ions are the major cation in Extracellular fluid (ECF) and as such are the major contributors to the ECF osmotic pressure and ECF compartment volume. Loss of water from the ECF compartment increases the sodium concentration, a condition called hypernutremia. Isotonic loss of water and sodium from the ECF compartment decreases the size of that compartment in a condition called ECF hypovolemia.
in humans, sodium is an essential mineral that regulates blood volume, blood pressure, osmotic equilibrium and pH; the minimum physiological requirements for sodium is 500 milligrams per day.
Sodium also plays a crucial role in muscle contraction. Sodium ion channels or just sodium channels are integral membrane proteins that form ion channels, conduction sodium ions through a cell's plasma membrane.
Sodium ion channels have three states, resting, active, and inactive.
Sodium is a good conductor and can be cut with a knife. Sodium also has 20 isotopes, only one of which is stable, 23Na. 23Na is created in the centers of stars where two carbon atoms are fused together.
Last but not least, As far as sodium consumption goes, humans primarily take in sodium through sodium chloride, also known as table salt. Table salt or NaCl is used as a preservative and as a seasoning.
Lets face it, sodium is cool, it is a metal that when combined with chlorine makes the tastiest alkali metal out there, Sodium Chloride.
-Marcus.S
Sources/references
http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/011.htm
http://www.balashon.com/2008/07/neter-and-nitrogen.html
http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Elements/011/index.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20070712011829/http://ie.lbl.gov/education/parent/Na_iso.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium
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