Explain by writing a reaction, what will happen when pieces of sodium metal are put in n-propyl alcohol.

Explanation

When n-butyl alcohol is heated at the temperature `170^(@)C` with excess amount of concentrated sulphuric acid, one molecule of water is removed from its molecule to form butene, an unsaturated compound. `CH_(3)-CH_(2)-CH_(2)-CH_(2)OH underset("Conc"H_(2)SO_(4))overset(170^(@)C)to CH_(3)-CH_(2)-CH=CH_(2)+H_(2)`
Here concentrated sulphuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent.