Question

The solution of sodium metal in liquid mercury is called:
(a) Mercury amalgam
(b) liquid amalgam
(c) sodium amalgam
(d) metal amalgam

Answer 1

Hint: Sodium is an alkali metal and when the solution of this metal is dissolved in the liquid mercury, it results in the formation of amalgam of that very metal. Now with the help of this you can easily answer the given statement.

Complete step by step solution: First of let’s discuss the sodium. Sodium is a metal which comes under the category of the alkali metals and belongs to the s-block elements. It lies in the first period and second group of the period table and has the atomic number as 11 and mass number as 23.
It has a strong tendency to lose one electron and acquire the stable electronic configuration of the nearest noble gas. It is so soft that it can be easily cut with a knife and is readily soluble in water giving alkaline solution.
Now considering the statement as;
When a solution of sodium metal reacts with the liquid mercury , it results in the formation of the amalgam ( it is the alloy of mercury metal with the other metals) known as the sodium amalgam. It is denoted as Na(Hg).
When this sodium amalgam is made to undergo reaction with the water, it results in the formation of hydrogen gas and sodium hydroxide and the mercury is recycled during this chemical reaction.
So, thus, The solution of sodium metal in liquid mercury is called sodium amalgam.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

Note: Sodium amalgam are used in the chemical reactions and are strong reducing agents. They have better physical properties i.e. handling properties as compared to the sodium metal.