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by syndicatedjelly
810 days ago
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Sodium (Na) in its pure state desperately wants to give away its electron. It will react with anything where it can dump electrons (e.g. H2O). Upon meeting water, sodium (explosively) releases its electron to water, lowering its energy state to a more favorable state. The extra electron in the water serves to split H2O into H+ and -OH ions. After releasing it's electron, sodium becomes sodium ion (Na+). Sodium ions (Na+) can only exist in solution. In the case of water and table salt, H2O + NaCl -> H2O + Na+ + Cl- . In other words, adding salt to water produce sodium ions and chlorine ions. Both of these forms are stable in solution, because they have their desired number of electrons (and are at in their most favorable energy states). At no time was sodium (Na) involved in the equation - rather, it's stable ion form (Na+) was involved. As an aside: You can generate chlorine gas (Cl2) by running electricity through salt water. Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) is also generated, but is immediately split into Na+ and -OH since the generation of NaOH occurred in solution. The -OH makes the water more basic as a result. It would be a good exercise to look into why that is. NaOH loves water - it will suck it right out of the air. Haven't stretched that chemistry muscle in nearly 15 years...Hope I didn't pull it! |
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Something seems out of balance here. Water would form H+ and OH- ions in the absence of an additional electron. Once the donation from the sodium occurs, is it forming H+ and OH²⁻?