Sodium reaction with excess water (Gen Chem)

[Xo1991]

When sodium reacts with excess water, the products are:

NaOH+H2


Is there anyway to intuitively get the answer to this problem, or is it just a straight fact?

When I was thinking about the answer, I assumed NaOH would NOT be a product because it would dissociate into ions, Na+ and OH-, since NaOH is a strong base.

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[hope_to_match]

When sodium reacts with excess water, the products are:

NaOH+H2


Is there anyway to intuitively get the answer to this problem, or is it just a straight fact?

When I was thinking about the answer, I assumed NaOH would NOT be a product because it would dissociate into ions, Na+ and OH-, since NaOH is a strong base.

do you remember organic chem lab? we had to do an experiment which involved dropping sodium metals into water...the result is a cloud of smoke given off (H2 gas) NaOH is formed due to reaction with water since water can act as an acid or base. In this case it acts as an acid...That's how I see this problem.

 

[Xo1991]

do you remember organic chem lab? we had to do an experiment which involved dropping sodium metals into water...the result is a cloud of smoke given off (H2 gas) NaOH is formed due to reaction with water since water can act as an acid or base. In this case it acts as an acid...That's how I see this problem.

Hmm...my school never did that lab. I guess the fact that the question says "excess H2O" leads to formation of NaOH...but I would never know that Na2O is not produced as well.

Guess this is another thing I have to stick in my memory.

 

[monsieurwise]

You can think this way:
Yes, you are right, NaOH is a strong base. Your reasoning is right, it will exist as Na+ and OH-. To be more precise, NaOH(aq) or Na+ and OH- and H+.
Just need one more step: H20 stuck together before Na come in and split H20 to H+ and OH-. So, what do these H+ do? They are going to come together, take electrons given off by Na, form H2 and fly away!
I hope that helps.

 

[hawkeye712]

For me, this is how I would process the question:
Metal + water = base
nonmetal + water = acid
and think water as HOH

single displacement forming a base: Na2 + HOH > NaOH + H2