Where does sodium come from?

Sodium comes from the fusion of two carbon atoms in stars that are at least three times as massive as the sun, even though the sun itself has a fair amount of sodium. On Earth, sodium is found in salt, natron and minerals such as zeolite.

Sodium, a very reactive alkali metal, is never found in its free state. It has an atomic number of 11 and is part of Group 1 on the periodic table. Pure metallic sodium is used as a reducing agent in the chemical industry. Sodium vapor is used in street lights. As a liquid, sodium is also used as a coolant in nuclear reactors.