This question is about sodium - AQA - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 6 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 6
This question is about sodium.
Sodium reacts with chlorine.
What is the balanced equation for the reaction?
Tick (✓) one box.
Na + Cl → NaCl
Na + Cl₂ → NaCl₂
2... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This question is about sodium - AQA - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 6 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
What is the balanced equation for the reaction?
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Answer
The balanced equation for the reaction is:
2extNa+extCl2→2extNaCl
This equation accurately represents the reaction between sodium and chlorine, showing that two sodium atoms react with one molecule of chlorine gas to produce two units of sodium chloride.
Step 2
Before reaction:
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Before the reaction, the observations include:
The sodium appears as a shiny, silver solid, in metal form.
Chlorine is present as a green gas in the jar.
Step 3
During reaction:
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During the reaction, the following is observed:
A bright yellow flame is produced as the sodium reacts.
There may also be white smoke, indicating the formation of sodium chloride.
Step 4
After reaction:
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After the reaction, the observations include:
The product formed is a white solid powder, which is sodium chloride.
Step 5
Explain why sodium is less reactive than potassium.
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Sodium is less reactive than potassium due to several factors:
Fewer Energy Levels/Shells: Sodium has fewer energy levels than potassium, resulting in outer electrons being closer to the nucleus.
Shielding Effect: The outer electron in sodium is less shielded from the nucleus compared to potassium, leading to a stronger attraction.
Electron Loss: Sodium loses its outer electron less easily than potassium; thus, sodium is less reactive.
Step 6
Compare the structure and bonding in sodium chloride and hydrogen chloride.
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In sodium chloride:
Structure: It forms a giant ionic lattice structure with alternating positive and negative ions, which are regularly arranged.
Bonding: The bonding is ionic, involving the transfer of electrons from sodium to chlorine, resulting in charged particles.
In hydrogen chloride:
Structure: Hydrogen chloride exists as small, discrete molecules without any overall charge.
Bonding: The bonding is covalent, with shared electrons between the hydrogen and chlorine atoms.
Overall, sodium chloride has strong ionic bonds and a structured lattice, while hydrogen chloride consists of weak intermolecular forces between simple covalent molecules.
