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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Other Sciences Question Forum => Topic started by: Linkiroth on August 05, 2005, 12:22:10 PM

Title: Na + H2O reaction
Post by: Linkiroth on August 05, 2005, 12:22:10 PM

What exactly happens, I know that the sodium removes hydrogen... but is the balanced equation:

2Na + H₂O ---> H₂ + Na₂O

or

2Na + 2H₂O ---> H₂ + 2NaOH

Just a random question I was curious about.

Title: Re:Na + H2O reaction
Post by: xiankai on August 05, 2005, 12:44:53 PM

your 2nd reaction is correct.

Title: Re:Na + H2O reaction
Post by: sdekivit on August 05, 2005, 12:49:24 PM

metal + water will react according to an redoxreaction:

meta --> metalion + e-

2H2O + 2e-  --> H2 + 2OH(-)

Title: Re:Na + H2O reaction
Post by: Linkiroth on August 05, 2005, 02:17:12 PM

That's what I thought. But I was told that the first reaction was correct.

Title: Re:Na + H2O reaction
Post by: sdekivit on August 05, 2005, 03:28:42 PM

it's correct too but remember that Na2O in H2O will react in an acid-base-reaction due to the O(2-)-ions:

O(2-) + H2O --> 2OH(-)

thus in a solution:

Na2O + H2O --> 2 NaOH

the total nett reaction will then become the same as the first reaction.