Sodium Peroxide Formula – Structure, Properties, Uses, Sample Questions

Sodium (Na) is a chemical element. It is an alkali metal. It has the atomic number 11 in its periodic table. It is a highly reactive metal. It is soft and it is silvery-white in color. Oxygen (O) is the chemical element with atomic number 8 in the periodic table. It is a highly reactive nonmetal and an oxidant that readily forms oxides with most elements as well as with other compounds. 

Sodium Peroxide is an inorganic chemical compound. It is the product of both sodium and oxygen. It is yellowish in color and it is a strong base. It is also known as Disodium dioxide or Solozone or Flocool.  It exists in the form of hydrates and per oxy hydrates including Na₂O₂·2H₂O₂·4H₂O, Na₂O₂·2H₂O, Na₂O₂·2H₂O₂, and Na₂O₂·8H₂O.

The chemical formula of Sodium Peroxide Na₂O₂.

Structure of Sodium Peroxide

Sodium Peroxide is Crystal in structure and is in a hexagonal shape.

Preparation of Sodium Peroxide

• Sodium Peroxide can be obtained when sodium hydroxide is treated with hydrogen peroxide.                      

2NaOH + H₂O₂  → Na₂O₂ + 2 H₂O .

• Sodium peroxide can be prepared by the reaction of metallic sodium with oxygen at 130–200 °C, first, it generates sodium oxide, and then later in another stage, it reacts with oxygen.                                                  

4Na + O₂ → 2 Na₂O

2Na₂O + O₂ → 2 Na₂O₂

• Sodium Peroxide can also be produced by passing ozone gas over solid sodium iodide inside a platinum or palladium tube. Then the ozone oxidizes the sodium to form sodium peroxide. 

Physical properties of Sodium Peroxide

• The Molecular mass of sodium peroxide is 77.98 g/mol.
• The density of sodium peroxide is 2.805 g/cm³.
• The Melting point of sodium peroxide is 460 °C.
• The Boiling point of sodium peroxide is 657 °C.
• It is in yellow to white powder.
• It is soluble in water, ethanol, and acid and insoluble in base.
• The Magnetic susceptibility (χ) of sodium peroxide is −28.10*10^-6 cm³/mol.

Chemical Properties of Sodium Peroxide

• When Sodium peroxide is heated, the hexagonal form of sodium peroxide undergoes a transition at 512 °C and when it is further heated above the 657 °C boiling point, the compound decomposes to Na₂O and releases oxygen.                          

2Na₂O₂ → 2Na₂O + O₂

• Sodium peroxide when reacted with water it gives sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide according to the reaction.                                         

Na₂O₂ + 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂O₂

When sodium peroxide reacted with carbon dioxide, it gives sodium carbonate and oxygen.                        

2Na₂O₂ + 2CO₂ → 2Na₂CO₃ + O₂

Uses of Sodium Peroxide

• It is used to bleach wood pulp.
• It is used in the production of paper and textiles.
• It is used for the extraction of minerals from various ores.
• It is used as an oxidizing agent. 
• It is useful in scuba gear, and submarines.

Sample Questions

Question 1:What happens when sodium peroxide is treated with sulphuric acid?

Answer:

When sodium peroxide is treated with sulphuric acids, we get sodium sulphate and hydrogen peroxide.

Na₂O₂ + H₂SO₄→Na₂SO₄+H₂O₂.

Question 2: Is Sodium Peroxide soluble in water?

Answer:

Sodium peroxide is soluble in water. Sodium peroxide when reacted with water it gives sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide according to the reaction.

Na₂O₂+ 2H₂O → 2NaOH + H₂O₂.

Question 3: Is Sodium Peroxide a strong base or acid?

Answer: 

Sodium Peroxide is a strong base. It is an inorganic chemical compound. It is the product of both sodium and oxygen. It is yellowish in colour.

Question 4: What are the health hazards of Sodium Peroxide?

Answer:

When it is inhaled it can irritate nose, throat and lungs. It can cause coughing, sneezing and it can also cause shortness of breath.

Question 5: Does sodium peroxide can be neutralized?

Answer:

Sodium Peroxide can be neutralized by any acid and manganese dioxide. By this it reduces to sodium salt of that acid and oxygen.

Na₂O₂ + HCl → 2NaCl + H₂   + O₂

Question 6: Is sodium peroxide used as an oxidizing agent.

Answer: 

Yes, sodium peroxide is used as a strong oxidising agent. As, sodium peroxide, contains sodium and oxygen atom. The oxidation number is +1, it can be decreased from +1 to 0. So, the elements which can undergo decrease of the oxidation number i.e reduction is known as a strong oxidising agent.