Sodium is notorious for its reactivity; it reacts quickly with air and water. Therefore, sodium is rarely used by itself though it is an important industrial metal. Let us now take a look at some of the uses of sodium.
Sodium is used for manufacturing many organic compounds and also to improve the structure of certain alloys. It is an indispensable element in the manufacture of soap, paper, textiles, glass and petroleum. We all consume sodium on a daily basis. There is a great variety in the compounds of sodium. Sodium silicates are used as fillers for salt, and in detergents. Sodium tetra borate is known as borax. Sodium hydroxide is used in the manufacture of paper, soap, rubber and rayon. It is also used for refining oil. Sodium fluoride is used in antibiotics, rat poison, and in ceramics. Sodium hydroxide gets grease out of the drains; it is also used to make liquid soap.
We consume sodium on a daily basis. The table salt that we use in our food is sodium chloride, a compound of sodium. Baking soda that we use to make baked goods is actually sodium bicarbonate, another compound of sodium.
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