Question

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

Answer 1

(i) Sodium reacts violently with water to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which is the property of a metal.
(ii) Sodium reacts with dilute acids and displaces hydrogen gas from the acids and forms sodium salt, which is the property of a metal.
(iii) Sodium exists in solid state at room temperature, which is the property of a metal.