To solve the question about the reaction between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and aluminium (Al) metal, let's break it down step by step.
**Reaction Overview:**
When sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminium, a chemical reaction occurs. The balanced equation for this reaction can be represented as follows:
\[ 2 \, \text{NaOH} + 2 \, \text{Al} + 6 \, \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow 2 \, \text{NaAl(OH)}_4 + 3 \, \text{H}_2 \]
**Details of the Reaction:**
1. **Reactants:**
- Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a strong base.
- Aluminium (Al) is a reactive metal.
2. **Products:**
- Sodium aluminate (\( \text{NaAl(OH)}_4 \)) is formed as a result of the reaction.
- Hydrogen gas (\( \text{H}_2 \)) is released during the reaction.
3. **Mechanism:**
- Aluminium reacts with hydroxide ions (\( \text{OH}^- \)) from sodium hydroxide.
- This reaction typically produces sodium aluminate and hydrogen gas.
4. **Conditions:**
- The reaction usually requires the presence of water to facilitate the interaction between sodium hydroxide and aluminium.
**Conclusion:**
From the above analysis, the correct answer to the question is:
**B. Sodium aluminate and hydrogen gas are formed.**