Na-23

The element I worked with was Sodium which was discovered by Sir Humphrey Davy in 1807. The element symbol is Na. The atomic number is 11 meaning 11 protons and 11 electrons. The atomic mass is 23 so to find the number of neutrons we subtract 11 from 23. That means we have 12 neutrons. It is classified as an alkali metal. An alkali metal is a very reactive metal that do not occur freely in nature. They all have only one electron in their last or outer shell which means they can lose one when pairing with other elements. They are softer than most metals but still good conductors of heat and electricity. An interesting fact about them is that when exposed to water they will explode. Its density is 0,973 grams per cubic centimeter meaning that it will float in water. The element is used for medicine and agriculture.





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