Sodium Facts | Facts about Sodiums

What happens when sodium touches water?

Sodium reacts violently with water.

Sodium's symbol, Na, comes from the Latin "natrium."

Humphry Davy first isolated sodium in 1807 using electrolysis.

Table salt is made of sodium, a reactive metal, and chlorine, a toxic gas.

Some streetlights glow yellow because they use sodium vapor.

Sodium is stored under oil to keep it from reacting with air and moisture.

Nerve signals depend on sodium moving in and out of cells.

Sodium is soft enough to cut with a knife.

Americans eat about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day on average, well above the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams.

Seawater is about 3.5% salt.