| Elements in Group 1 of the periodic table, including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium. | Alkali Metals |
| Which group do alkali metals belong to in the periodic table? | Alkali metals belong to Group 1 in the periodic table. |
| Alkali metals, such as lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium, are characterized by low densities and softness, making them malleable enough to be cut with a knife. | Alkali Metal Characteristics |
| What is a common physical property of alkali metals? | Alkali metals have low densities and are soft enough to be cut with a knife. |
| Alkali metals have relatively low melting points for metals. For example, sodium has a melting point of 98°C, and potassium has a melting point of 63°C. | Melting Points of Alkali Metals |
| Compare the melting point of sodium with that of iron. | Sodium has a melting point of 98°C, while iron has a much higher melting point of 1538°C. |
| Alkali metals are highly reactive due to having only 1 electron in their outer shell. | Reactivity of Alkali Metals |
| Why are alkali metals highly reactive? | Alkali metals are highly reactive because they have just 1 electron in their outer shell, making it easy for them to lose this electron and form a positive ion. |
| The observed pattern that the reactivity of alkali metals increases as you move down the group in the periodic table. | Alkali Metal Reactivity Trend |
| Why does the reactivity of alkali metals increase down the group? | The reactivity increases because the number of electron shells in each atom increases. As the outer electron moves further from the nucleus and becomes more shielded by inner electron shells, its attraction to the nucleus decreases, making it more easily lost. |
| The count of electron shells in an atom, which increases down the alkali metal group, contributing to changes in reactivity. | Number of Electron Shells (contributing to reactivity) |
| How does the distance from the nucleus affect reactivity in alkali metals? | As the number of electron shells increases, the outer electron in alkali metals moves further from the nucleus, reducing its attraction to the nucleus and making it more easily lost, leading to increased reactivity. |
| The phenomenon where inner electron shells shield the outer electron from the attractive force of the nucleus, influencing the reactivity of alkali metals. | Shielding Effect |
| What role does shielding play in alkali metal reactivity? | Shielding by inner electron shells reduces the attraction between the outer electron and the nucleus in alkali metals, making the outer electron more easily lost and contributing to increased reactivity down the group. |
| Compounds formed when alkali metals react with water, resulting in the production of hydrogen gas and salts that dissolve in water. | Metal Hydroxides |
| What happens when alkali metals react with water? | Alkali metals react vigorously with water, producing hydrogen gas and forming metal hydroxides. |
| Solutions produced when metal hydroxides dissolve in water, giving a basic pH and contributing to the characteristic alkaline properties. | Alkaline Solutions |
| What is the result of metal hydroxides dissolving in water? | The dissolution of metal hydroxides in water produces alkaline solutions with characteristic basic properties. |
| The level of activity or violence with which alkali metals react with water, where more reactive alkali metals lead to more vigorous reactions. | Reaction Vigor in Alkali Metals |
| How does the reactivity of alkali metals affect their reaction with water? | The more reactive an alkali metal is, the more vigorous its reaction with water. This is evident in the production of hydrogen gas and metal hydroxides. |
| The chemical reaction where lithium reacts with water to produce lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, exemplifying the general behavior of alkali metals in water. | Example Reaction - Lithium with Water |
| How does potassium's reaction with water differ from lithium's? | The reaction of potassium with water is more vigorous, releasing enough energy to ignite hydrogen, (producing a lilac flame) showcasing the trend that more reactive alkali metals have more energetic reactions. |
| Caesium, being highly reactive, exhibits an explosive reaction when coming into contact with water, demonstrating the extreme reactivity of some alkali metals. | Explosive Reaction with Caesium |
