See soorce fer Sodium

{{Infobox sodium}}
'''Sodium''' is a [[chemical element]] wi the symbol&nbsp;'''Na''' (frae {{lang-la|natrium}}) an atomic nummer&nbsp;11. It is a saft, siller-white, heichly reactive [[metal]] an is a member o the [[alkali metals]]; its anly stable [[isotope]] is <sup>23</sup>Na. The free metal daes nae occur in naitur, but insteid must be prepared frae its compoonds; it wis first isolatit bi [[Humphry Davy]] in 1807 bi the [[electrolysis]] o [[sodium hydroxide]]. Sodium is the saxt maist abundant [[Abundance o elements in Yird's crust|element in the Yird's crust]], an exists in numerous [[minerals]] sic as [[feldspar]]s, [[sodalite]] an [[halite|rock salt]]. Mony sauts o sodium are heichly watter-soluble, an thair sodium haes been leached bi the action o watter sae that [[sea saut|chloride an sodium]] (NaCl) are the maist common dissolved elements bi wicht in the Yird's bodies o [[sea watter|oceanic watter]].

Sodium wis first isolatit bi [[Humphry Davy]] in 1807 bi the [[electrolysis]] o [[sodium hydroxide]]. Amang mony ither uisefu sodium compoonds, [[sodium hydroxide]] is uised in [[Saip|saip manufactur]], an [[sodium chloride]] ([[edible saut]]) is a [[De-ice|de-icin]] augent an a nutrient for ainimals includin humans.

Sodium is an [[Dietary mineral|essential element]] for aw ainimals an some plants. Sodium ions are the major cation in the [[extracellular fluid]] (ECF) an as sic are the major contreibutor tae the ECF [[osmotic pressur]] an ECF compartment vollum. Loss o watter frae the ECF compartment increases the sodium concentration, a condeetion cried [[hypernatremia]]. [[Tonicity|Isotonic]] loss o watter an sodium frae the ECF compairtment decreases the size o that compartment in a condeetion cried ECF [[hypovolemia]].

Bi means o the [[Na+/K+-ATPase|sodium-potassium pump]], leevin human cells pump three sodium ions oot o the cell in exchynge for twa potassium ions pumped in; comparin ion concentrations athort the cell membrane, inside tae ootside, [[potassium]] meisurs aboot 40:1, an sodium, aboot 1:10. In [[Neuron|nerve cells]], the electrical chairge athort the cell membrane enables transmeession o the nerve impulse—an [[action potential]]—when the chairge is dissipatit; sodium plays a key role in that activity.

==References==
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{{Periodic cairt}}
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[[Category:Sodium minerals|minerals]]
[[Category:Sodium| ]]
[[Category:Desiccants]]
[[Category:Dietary minerals]]
[[Category:Reducin agents]]
[[Category:Chemical elements]]
[[Category:Alkali metals]]
[[Category:Biology an pharmacology o chemical elements]]
[[Category:Nuclear reactor cuilants]]