Question

State three reasons (of which at least one must be chemical) for believing that sodium is a metal.

Answer 1

1. Sodium reacts violently with water to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which is a property of a metal.
2. Sodium reacts with dilute acids and displaces hydrogen gas from the acids, forming sodium salt, which is a property of a metal.
3. Sodium exists in the solid state at room temperature, a characteristic of metals.