Is sodium a metal, nonmetal or metalloid?

Sodium is listed with the metals on the periodic table of elements. It is silvery white and soft in its pure form.

Like other metals on the left side of the periodic table, sodium forms an ion easily, meaning it gives one electron to other atoms at will. In fact, that is how table salt is formed; sodium gives an electron to chlorine. They both form ions, meaning sodium becomes positively charged and chlorine becomes negatively charged, attracting one another into an ionic bond. Pure sodium is dangerous to touch; it causes burns on the skin because it reacts dramatically to water, giving off hydrogen gas.