Studied by 7 people
How can you predict how different elements will react?
From their positions in the periodic table - elements in the same group will react in similar ways
What are the Group 1 Metals known as?
Alkali Metals
What are the Group 1 Metals?
Lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium and francium
How many electrons do alkali metals have in their outer shell?
1 - so they all have similar chemical properties
What are the properties of alkali metals?
Low melting and boiling points (compared with other metals) and very soft - they can be cut with a knife
What do alkali metals form?
Ionic compounds - they lose their single outer electron so easily that sharing it is out of the question, so they don’t form covalent bonds
How reactive are Group 1 Metals?
Very - metals readily lose their single outer electron to form 1+ ion with a stable electronic structure
What does it mean if a metal is more readily to lose their outer electrons?
The more reactive it is
What happens as you go down Group 1?
The alkali metals get more reactive - the outer electron is more easily lost because it’s further from the nucleus (the atomic radius is larger) so it’s less strongly attracted to the nucleus and less energy is needed to move it
How is the reactivity of the alkali metals increasing as you move down the group clearly shown?
When they react with water - reactions with cold water produce hydroxide and hydrogen
What happens when alkali metals react with water?
They react vigorously (strongly) and produces hydrogen gas and hydroxide of the metal
What happens when hydrogen gas is present?
It will make a ‘squeaky pop’ with a lighted splint
