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Because sodium is a stronger reducer than carbon, so carbon cannot reduce sodium ions.

Actually, according to the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, sodium salts can be reduced by carbon at elevated temperatures. This is actually how sodium metal was initially mass-produced. Note the following reactions between graphite and sodium hydroxide and carbonate:

2 C + 6 NaOH --> 2 Na2CO3 + 3 H2 + 2 Na

2 C + Na2CO3 --> 2 Na + 3 CO

I'm not sure about the required temperature for the reaction between carbon and NaOH, but I know that the one between carbon and sodium carbonate can only take place at roughly 1100 C.

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Q: Why carbon cannot reduce sodium hydroxide to sodium metal?
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What is solubility value of carbon dioxide in sodium hydroxide?

Carbon dioxide react with sodium hydroxide.


How do you find solubility of carbon dioxide in sodium hydroxide?

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How do you find solubility value of carbon dioxide in sodium hydroxide?

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Sodium hydroxide is use to absorb carbon dioxide.


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sodium hydroxide or potasium hydroxide


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Carbon dioxide dissolves in water and reacts with the water to form carbonic acid, and therefore, you get an acid-base neutralization reaction with sodium hydroxide.


What happens when magnesium hydroxide reacts with sodium?

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How do you make an easy carbon dioxide filter?

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NO! These two chemicals could hardly be more different: Sodium hydroxide is an ionically bonded inorganic salt that contains no carbon, while alkenes are organic compounds that are covalently bonded, contain no sodium or oxygen, and include a carbon-carbon double bond.