WHY SODIUM FUSIONS? Organic compounds usually contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Other element that may be present are: nitrogen, sulfur, and halogens. These latter three elements are usually bound covalently, and are NOT water soluble. The

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WHY SODIUM FUSIONS?Organic compounds usually
contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Other
element that may be present are nitrogen,
sulfur, and halogens.These latter three elements
are usually bound covalently, and are NOT water
soluble. The detection of these depends on
converting them into water-soluble ions CN-,
S2-, and X-. This is usually done by a sodium
fusion.Sodium reacts violently with water.
Extreme caution must be exercised.
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Wear your safety goggles!
Wear your safety goggles!
Wear your safety goggles!!
Wear your safety goggles!!
Wear your safety goggles!
Wear your safety goggles!!
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You need a 50 mL beaker half full with distilled
water, a Bunsen burner, a sample ground to a very
fine powder, and a clean DRY 3-inch test tube
held in a test tube holder.

• Be sure the beaker of water is placed
• under your snorkel.

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With a paper towel, blot dry a small piece of
sodium and place it into the test tube.

• Over a low flame, heat the sodium until it melts
  into a shiny, silvery ball and vapors start to
  rise in the test tube.

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Remove the tube from the flame and add a bit of
the powdered sample. There may be a bit of a
reaction when you do this . . .

• You may re-heat, and add more sample if you wish.

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Finally, re-heat the tube to a dull red

• Move the tube from side to side to avoid burning
  out the bottom of the tube.

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When the tube is RED HOT, PLACE (do not DROP) the
tube into the beaker of water. Be sure the tube
is not pointed at you, nor at anyone else at this
time.

• The tube should SHATTER! Expect a rather
  vigorous reaction, -- perhaps with fire and
  smoke.

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Did I mention that you should
WEAR YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES?
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Heat the solution to boiling for a few minutes
(Fig. 1). Then, gravity filter (Fig. 2) to
remove broken glass and solid residue.

• The clear filtrate is used to test for sulfur,
  nitrogen, and halogens.

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Some may prefer to use hot plates
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Conduct the tests on the KNOWN, for sulfur,
nitrogen, and halogens, as directed (p. 45) in
your lab manual.

• When your Lab Instructor approves your tests,
  conduct the sodium fusion tests on the UNKNOWNS
  which are provided.

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• Your Laboratory Report Form is due the day on
  which you perform the Sodium Fusions. Be
  prepared to turn it in.