What is produced when ethanol reacts with sodium?

When ethanol reacts with sodium, hydrogen gas is produced as a byproduct of the reaction. This occurs because sodium is a highly reactive metal that interacts with the hydroxyl (-OH) group of ethanol. During this reaction, the sodium removes the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group, resulting in the release of hydrogen gas, which can be observed as bubbles.

The reaction can be represented as follows:

[ \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH} + \text{Na} \rightarrow \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{O}^-\text{Na}^+ + \text{H}_2(g) ]

As the reaction proceeds, you would see bubbles forming, indicating the production of hydrogen gas. This characteristic observation is a key identifier of this reaction.

The other options—nitrogen gas, oxygen gas, and carbon dioxide—are not produced in this reaction. Nitrogen is an inert gas and does not typically react with ethanol. Oxygen is not a product of the reaction as it does not get released during the interaction between ethanol and sodium. Carbon dioxide is also not formed in this scenario, as the reaction specifically involves only ethanol and sodium leading