Sodium oxide
Sodium oxide is an ionic compound with the formula Na₂O, consisting of sodium cations and oxide anions. It reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide.
Ionic bonding: Chemical bonding arising from electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions. Sodium oxide’s Na⁺ and O²⁻ ions are held together by this attraction.
Sodium: A soft, highly reactive alkali metal with the chemical symbol Na and atomic number 11. Sodium atoms lose electrons to form the cations present in sodium oxide.
Soda–lime glass: A common glass made mainly from silica, sodium oxide, and calcium oxide. Its sodium oxide content lowers the temperature needed to melt silica.
Magnesium oxide: An ionic compound, MgO, composed of magnesium cations and oxide anions. It shares the oxide ion but pairs it with divalent magnesium rather than sodium.
Sodium ion: A positively charged sodium atom, commonly represented as Na⁺. Two sodium ions balance each oxide ion in the compound’s formula.
Oxygen: A chemical element with atomic number 8 that commonly forms compounds in the 2− oxidation state. Oxygen gains two electrons in sodium oxide to form oxide ions.
Glass: An amorphous solid, commonly made by cooling a molten mixture of inorganic materials. Sodium oxide is a network modifier in many commercial glasses.
Lithium oxide: An ionic compound, Li₂O, formed from lithium cations and oxide anions. It has the same stoichiometric pattern as sodium oxide but contains a different alkali metal.
Oxide ion: An oxygen atom carrying a 2− charge, represented as O²⁻. Its charge determines that sodium oxide requires two Na⁺ ions per formula unit.
Stoichiometry: The quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions. Charge balance gives sodium oxide its two-to-one sodium-to-oxygen ratio.