LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Sodium: Sodium Hydroxide
built 636 days ago
Sodium hydroxide is used in the home as a drain cleaning agent for clearing clogged drains. It is distributed as a dry crystal or as a thick liquid gel. The chemical mechanism employed is the conversion of grease to a form of soap. Soap is water soluble, and can be dissolved by flushing with water. Sodium hydroxide ... decomposes complex molecules such as the protein that composes hair. Such drain cleaners (and their acidic versions) are highly caustic and should be handled with care.
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Sodium hydroxide is commonly used in metal cleaning and processing. Exposure to it can irritate or burn the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract. Inhaling large amounts can be fatal. Sodium hydroxide releases greater than 1,000 pounds must be reported immediately.
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Sodium reacts rapidly with water, and even with snow and ice, to give sodium hydroxide and hydrogen. The reaction liberates sufficient heat to melt the sodium and ignite the hydrogen. When exposed to air, freshly cut sodium metal loses its silvery appearance and becomes dull gray because of the formation of a coating of sodium oxide.
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Sodium reacts violently with water to produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Sodium will ... react with certain alcohols such as ethanol and metahnol to produce hydrogen gas. In the reaction with methanol, the product is sodium methoxide.
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Sodium Hydroxide