* Sodium is highly reactive: Sodium is a highly reactive metal, and it will directly react with fluorine (F₂) to form sodium fluoride (NaF).
* Magnesium is less reactive: Magnesium is less reactive than sodium. It will not readily displace sodium from its compound.
Therefore, the reaction that actually occurs is:
2 Na + MgF₂ → 2 NaF + Mg
Explanation:
* Sodium (Na) reacts with magnesium fluoride (MgF₂) to produce sodium fluoride (NaF) and magnesium (Mg).
* Two sodium atoms (2 Na) are required to react with one magnesium fluoride molecule (MgF₂) to produce two sodium fluoride molecules (2 NaF) and one magnesium atom (Mg).
Important Note: This reaction is highly exothermic and should only be performed under controlled laboratory conditions by trained professionals due to the reactivity of sodium.
