Mixing Sodium and chlorine question?

[9light]

Hello im Simon and my Question is:

When mixing sodium and chlorine to make sodium chloride, do you need to use water as a catalyst or will it reacted on its own .In the video slot i have put a video of someone doing this experement with water as a catalyst but what i want to know is if you NEED to use water...

thanks alot :P

if i didnt make myself clear enough just tell me... ok thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?vMx5JJWI2aaw

Experement

[gen2]

No, water is not necessary.

The reaction is exothermic and once started is self sustaining. All that is required is a little heat to get it going. Water is a convenient method because it reacts with sodium to release heat.

Alternatively, you could pre-heat the sodium over a flame before placing it in the chlorine. see this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftw7a5ccubs&fea ture=related

[jake-the-peg]

Might not even need heat.

The reaction between Hydrogen and Chlorine can be started by light.

This was actually demonstrated to us when I was at school by our chemistry teacher.

I can say it wouldn't be allowed now because I'm pretty sure it wasn't allowed then! He did it anyway.

Recipe:

Washingup bottle with "window" cut out anc covered with selotape - half filled with hydrogen, half chlorine.

Light a magnesium ribbon in front of window

Result: Loud explosion, choking HCl fumes and disciplinary action!

[gen2]

jake-the-peg. Do you realise you have described a totally different reaction?

You have correctly described a very dangerous reaction between HYDROGEN and chlorine. I saw it at university triggered by a camera's flash gun.

The question was actualy about the reaction between SODIUM and chlorine.

[9light]

Thankyou everyone, you have been very helpful and i now have all the infomation i need. im doing some GCSE homework and the question was "what compound would you get if you mixed soudium and chlorine" but i wanted to go in to detail in my answer including the prosess of the reaction...

... so thankyou for Answering my question

Simon

[jake-the-peg]

It's a similar reaction between Chlorine and Hydrogen as opposed to Sodium.

The reactions are similar in nature and both need a little push to get them going.

Given the nature of the photoelectric effect it would be interesting to know if the Sodium reaction can be initiated by light if so I'd expect it to have to be below the 683 nm cut off that sodium so famously displays.

I think we're seriously outside GCSE territory here though!

I hope your university demonstration was more safely performed in a fume cupboard - I can attest to the danger of the reaction.

[gen2]

No Jake, it wasn't. It was a lecture/demo given to the university chemical society on the theme of 'Bangs'.

It was a large old-fashioned lecture theatre with a steep bank of tiered seats and a long front bench (St Andrews University 1966). As far as I remember, the gases were in a balloon on that bench. I think they expected the resultant fumes to be sufficiently diluted by the large volume of air in the lecture room to be safe, but I remember students coughing. I think the room itself had extractor fans so effectively, the whole room was a fume cupboard with us in it!

[north star]

A bit late to the thread, but sodium is an extremely reactive metal and is normally stored under oil in order to prevent reaction with atmospheric oxygen. In the video the 'lump' of sodium is shown sitting on the glass dish and one could assume therefore that this lump has the oxide layer present which the water would dissolve revealing the elemental sodium beneath. This pure sodium then reacts violently with the chlorine gas. No initial heating is required.

[9light]

once agen i would like to thank all 3 of you for your input (you 3 have given me more infomation that i understand, than any infomation website)

Thankyou

[Peter Pedant]

Bangs in 1966...

Apparently there was a professor who would do the rounds with his lecture of party tricks - smells and bangs.

Sort of rationed to one a year each uni.

I remember that the chemists and engineers got very excited when the time approached.

I always thought the Professor in Brainiac was based on him (or was him)

Jesus I wouldnt encourage anyone to mix Na and Cl2 - exothermic - ha! Delta G is about as negative as Mg burning in oz . I am astounded to see a video of it