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why is sodium kept under kerosense
Like the other alkali metals, sodium metal is a soft, light-weight, silvery white, reactive metal. Owing to its extreme reactivity, it occurs in nature only combined in compounds, never as a pure elemental metal. Sodium metal floats on water and reacts with it violently, releasing heat and flammable hydrogen gas, and forming a solution of the strong base sodium hydroxide.
Sodium's powdered form is highly explosive in water and is a poison when uncombined or combined with many other elements. This metal should be handled carefully at all times. Sodium must be stored either in an inert atmosphere, or under a liquid hydrocarbon such as mineral oil or kerosene.


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