Why does sodium hydroxide sometimes is solid and sometimes is liquid?

And why doesn't sodium mix with water instead of reacting with?

Where does the energy come from for sodium to react steadily with water?

Why does sodium hydroxide sometimes is solid and sometimes is liquid?

 

Sodium hydroxide as a solid is the pure thing. It actually is a solid. When reacting it with water, it forms sodium hydroxide solution. It's not a liquid until you melt the solid. So, the liquid part is sodium hydroxide dissolved in water

 

And why doesn't sodium mix with water instead of reacting with?

 

The simple reason for this is because it is too reactive. Certain metals don't react with water because they are not reactive enough. This metal is just too reactive, so, it reacts vigorously with water!

 

Where does the energy come from for sodium to react steadily with water?

 

Not sure exactly what you mean by steadily in water.

when you react Na with H2O, you oxidize the Na and reduce the H+ and form Na2O and H2. yeah, the H is kinda positive in H2O since the O hoardes the electrons.

 

anyway, energy invested in the H-O bonds is released. that is where you get the energy from.

I knew it had to be with something that I hadn't learnt yet!

Hi Guys,

 

Sodium hydroxide is always a solid under standard conditions unless it has absorbed moisture and become partially solvated (as aomaster stated). When sodium metal is put into water it is actually OXIDISED rapidly to Na+ and the electron that was stripped from it is used to create hydrogen radicals (H. from the one-electron REDUCTION of H+, one proton, one electron, unstable) from the H+ (proton) in solution, which sponateously combine to make H2 gas (two protons, two electrons, stable), which comprises the fizzing bubbles you always see. As you all know, you usually get a nice big bang after a few seconds if you drop sodium metal (or potassium, lithium etc) into water. This is because the oxidation of group one metals is extremely exothermic and this heat ignites the H2 gas that builds up from the combining H. radicals.

 

cheerio