Lithium vs Sodium
Lithium and Sodium are genuine alternatives to one another — a choice somebody actually makes — and differ on 5 measured properties, density most clearly.
Lithium vs Sodium
| Property | Lithium | Sodium |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic number | 3 | 11 higher |
| Density | 0.534 g/cm³ | 0.968 g/cm³ higher |
| Melting point | 180.5–180.72 °C higher | 97.78 °C |
| Mohs hardness Mohs hardness is an ordinal scale: values can be ranked, but differences and ratios between them are not meaningful. | about 0.6 higher | about 0.5 |
| Molar mass | 6.94 g/mol | 22.98976928 g/mol higher |
Choosing between them
Sodium is recorded as a substitute for Lithium — cheaper, less supply-constrained.
What it gives up: Stores less energy for its mass, which suits stationary storage and rules out a phone.
In this application, on the evidence cited above.