Sodium is a chemical element with symbol Na  and atomic number 11, most commonly found as NaCl, sodium chloride, or as it’s commonly called – table salt.  As a metal, sodium is a soft, silver-white, highly reactive metal which burns an intense yellow under flame. In the Periodic table it is in column 1 (alkali metals), and like the other six elements in that column, it has a single electron in its outer shell that it readily donates, creating a positively charged atom.  This piece represents the intensity in which an everyday household item can surprise one under the right conditions.