1. Atomic structure and characteristics of sodium

1.1 Atomic structure

Sodium is a metal in the alkali family, made up of the elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs) and francium (Fr). The symbol Na comes from the Latin word Natrium, still used in German (natron, known since Egyptian times, refers to sodium carbonate). The name sodium comes from the Latin word soda, which also gave rise to the word soda. The electronic configuration of alkalis features a singlet electron on the last electronic layer. The most stable electronic configuration is achieved by the loss of this electron, leading to the cationic form (Na ⁺ ). The sodium atom has eleven protons, twelve neutrons and eleven electrons. It is the only natural isotope; however, it has several...