I am stumped - please HELP (1 Viewer)

[phenol]

I have just been asked, why does sodium and water react to form sodium hydroxide.

The answer i gave him was, it just does

does anyone know a better reason? LOL

i feel so lost

 

[Frank Sinatra]

u tell them that the ionic bonds form co-valent bonding and hence the valencies of the two elements change which forms together to create a exothermic reaction resulting finally in a liquidfied form

 

[born2try]

i 'd say it's because sodium is more active than hydrogen in the acitvity series , thus sodium would replace the hydrogen, producing sodium hydroxide
2Na(s)+2H2O(l)=2NaOH(aq)+H2(g)
that's the best i can do, but i could be wrong

 

[spice girl]

because of this redox rxn:

Na(s) -> Na+ + e-
2H+ + 2e- -> H2(g)

and so you're removing protons from the water, you have to be making the solution alkaline.

tsk tsk phenol...

 

[+:: $i[Q]u3 ::+]

the complex ones he can handle.. anything easier and he's stumped... ^^ there there. hehehehe...

 

[Frigid]

phenol stop teasing!