* Sodium (Na) reacts with water (H₂O): Sodium is a highly reactive alkali metal. When it reacts with water, it produces sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrogen gas (H₂). The reaction is vigorous and exothermic.
* The balanced chemical equation:
2 Na (s) + 2 H₂O (l) → 2 NaOH (aq) + H₂ (g)
* Ionic equation:
2 Na (s) + 2 H₂O (l) → 2 Na⁺ (aq) + 2 OH⁻ (aq) + H₂ (g)
* Net ionic equation:
2 Na (s) + 2 H₂O (l) → 2 Na⁺ (aq) + 2 OH⁻ (aq) + H₂ (g)
Explanation:
* In this reaction, sodium (Na) is a solid and doesn't exist as ions in solution.
* Water (H₂O) is a liquid and doesn't fully dissociate into ions.
* Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a strong base and completely dissociates into Na⁺ and OH⁻ ions in solution.
* Hydrogen gas (H₂) is a gas and doesn't exist as ions.
Therefore, all the species in the reaction are involved in the net ionic equation, and there are no spectator ions to cancel out.
