8.2.2

Alkali Metals - Properties

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Alkali Metals (Group 1) - Properties

All of the elements in group 1 have 1 electron in their outer shell. These metals are soft and have relatively low melting points. They are very reactive because they easily lose the electron in their outer shell. They have similar properties and usually react in similar ways.

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Reacting with water

  • The metal floats on the surface and melts to create a metal hydroxide (e.g. lithium hydroxide).
  • When they react with water, the energy released is enough to melt the metal.
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Reacting with chlorine

  • A metal chloride is formed (e.g. sodium chloride), which dissolves in water to give a colourless solution.
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Reacting with oxygen

  • Rapidly turns from silvery shiny to dull as a metal oxide (e.g. potassium oxide) is produced.

Jump to other topics

1States of Matter

2Atoms, Elements & Compounds

3Stoichometry

4Electrochemistry

5Chemical Energetics

6Chemical Reactions

7Acids, Bases & Salts

8The Periodic Table

9Metals

10Chemistry of the Environment

11Organic Chemistry

11.1Formulae, Functional Groups & Terminology

11.2Naming Organic Compounds

11.3Fuels

11.4Alkanes

11.5Alkenes

11.6Alcohols

11.7Carboxylic Acids

11.8Polymers

12Experimental Techniques & Chemical Analysis

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