Is Sodium a Solid, Liquid or Gas? (+ 3 Things to Know)

Sodium is a solid element at room temperature and standard pressure. ¹ Its melting point is 97.8 °C (208.04 °F), and its boiling point is 883 °C (1621.4 °F). At room temperature, sodium exists as a soft, silvery-white metal with a shiny surface. ²

Well, this was just a simple answer. But there are few more things to know about this topic which will make your concept super clear.

So let’s dive right into it.

Why does sodium exist as a solid at room temperature?

Sodium exists as a solid at room temperature due to its unique atomic structure and bonding properties. Sodium is a metallic element, and as such, it has a relatively low ionization energy and electronegativity. ³

The sodium atoms are held together by metallic bonding, which occurs as a result of the sharing of valence electrons between the atoms. ⁴

This creates a sea of delocalized electrons that allows the sodium atoms to be held together in a solid form.

At room temperature, the energy of the sodium atoms is not sufficient to overcome the attractive forces between the atoms, which keep them in the solid form.

However, if heated to a sufficiently high temperature, the kinetic energy of the atoms can overcome the attractive forces, and the solid will melt into a liquid.

Overall, the solid state of sodium at room temperature is due to the strong metallic bonding between its atoms, which creates a stable crystal lattice structure.

Does sodium exist in a liquid state?

Yes, sodium does exist in a liquid state. Like most metals, sodium has a relatively low melting point, and it will melt into a liquid state when heated to temperatures above its melting point.

The melting point of sodium is 97.8 °C (208.04 °F), which is relatively low compared to many other metals. ⁵

At temperatures above its melting point, the metallic bonding between the sodium atoms weakens, and the kinetic energy of the atoms increases enough to overcome the attractive forces holding them together in the solid form.

This allows the sodium atoms to move more freely and take on the properties of a liquid.

Liquid sodium is a highly reactive and corrosive substance, which can pose safety hazards when handling it. ⁶

It has a shiny, silver appearance and is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. Liquid sodium is commonly used in high-temperature applications, such as in nuclear reactors, where it is used as a coolant due to its excellent thermal conductivity. ^{7 8}

How is solid sodium different from liquid sodium?

Solid sodium and liquid sodium have several differences, both in their physical properties and their behavior. Here are some of the main differences:

• State: The most obvious difference is that solid sodium exists as a solid at room temperature, while liquid sodium exists as a liquid when it is heated above its melting point.
• Conductivity: Liquid sodium is a better conductor of electricity and heat than solid sodium. ^{9 10} This is because the delocalized electrons in the metallic bonding structure of liquid sodium can move more freely than in the solid state, allowing for greater conductivity.
• Reactivity: Liquid sodium is much more reactive than solid sodium. It reacts strongly with water, oxygen, and many other substances, while solid sodium is relatively inert and stable.
• Appearance: Solid sodium has a metallic, shiny appearance, while liquid sodium appears as a reflective, silvery liquid. ¹¹
• Movement: In the solid state, the atoms are held rigidly in place by the metallic bonding structure, while in the liquid state, the atoms are free to move around and take on the shape of their container.

Overall, the properties of solid and liquid sodium are different due to the changes in the atomic and molecular structure of the substance when it is heated and transformed into a liquid state.

Further reading

Is Oxygen Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Is Lithium Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Is Magnesium a Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Is Nitrogen a Solid, Liquid or Gas?
Is Neon a Solid, Liquid or Gas?

1. P. (n.d.). Sodium | Na (Element) – PubChem. Sodium | Na (Element) – PubChem. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/element/Sodium
2. Sodium | Facts, Uses, & Properties. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/sodium
3. Periodic trends – Wikipedia. (2022, July 2). Periodic Trends – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Periodic_trends
4. Metallic Bonding. (2013, October 2). Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theoretical_Chemistry)/Chemical_Bonding/Fundamentals_of_Chemical_Bonding/Metallic_Bonding
5. Sodium – Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table. (n.d.). Sodium – Element Information, Properties and Uses | Periodic Table. https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/11/sodium
6. Nrc.gov https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2111/ML21116A231.pdf
7. Gnanasekaran, T. (2022). Chemical properties of liquid metal coolants. Science and Technology of Liquid Metal Coolants in Nuclear Engineering, 103–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-95145-6.00002-0
8. Pioro, I., & Duffey, R. (2019). Current and future nuclear power reactors and plants. Managing Global Warming, 117–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-814104-5.00004-1
9. Ewing, C. T., Grand, J. A., & Miller, R. R. (1952, January). Thermal Conductivity of Liquid Sodium and Potassium. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 74(1), 11–14. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01121a003
10. Ucl.as.uk http://www.homepages.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbdxa/pubblicazioni/e054203.pdf
11. Sodium – Wikipedia. (2016, October 15). Sodium – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium