Group 1A Alkali Metals and Group 1B Coinage Metals

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the periodic table history, periodic trends, Group 1A alkali metals, Group 1B coinage metals, their chemical compounds, synonyms, and pharmaceutical applications.

Periodic Table

A tabular display of the chemical elements arranged by atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties that illustrates periodic trends.

Antoine Lavoisier

The Father of Modern Chemistry who compiled an early list of $33$ chemical elements, including Oxygen, Sulfur, and Hydrogen.

Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner

Proposed the Law of Triads (Döbereiner's triads), grouping elements with related chemical properties into sets of three.

Leopold Gmelin

Developer of the Gmelin System who identified ten triads, three groups of four elements, and one group of five elements.

August Kekulé

Founder of the theory of chemical structure who recognized the tetravalence of carbon (ability to bond to four elements) and proposed the ring structure of benzene.

John Newlands

Formulated the Law of Octaves, arranging elements in order of increasing atomic weights where every eighth element exhibited similar properties.

Henry Moseley

Scientist who arranged elements by nuclear charge (atomic number), establishing the Modern Periodic Table.

Periodic Trends

Patterns in chemical characteristics across the periodic table, where ionization energy, electronegativity, electron affinity, and nonmetallic character increase upward and to the right, while atomic radius and metallic character increase downward and to the left.

Representative Elements

The elements classified under Groups A of the periodic table, comprising the s-block and p-block elements.

Group 1A Alkali Metals

The most reactive metallic family possessing $1$ valence electron, which must be stored in inert solvents such as kerosene or paraffin. Their chemical activity and alkalinity increase with increasing atomic number, whereas their degree of solvation decreases.

Hydrogen

Discovered by Henry Cavendish in $1766$ and known as "inflammable air," it is the lightest and most abundant element, prepared industrially up to $99\%$ purity via the Lane and Messerschmidt processes.

Isotopes of Hydrogen

The three forms of hydrogen: Protium ($^1H$, most abundant), Deuterium ($^2H$, heavy hydrogen), and Tritium ($^3H$, radioactive).

Lithium

Derived from the Greek word lithos meaning "Earth Stone" and discovered by J.A. Arfvedson; it is the lightest metal on Earth, used in air conditioner heat exchangers and as a diuretic.

Lithium Carbonate ($Li_2CO_3$)

Marketed as Lithase®, Quilonium-R, Lithane, and Eskalith; the drug of choice for bipolar disorder and a component of lithia water.

Lithium Oxide

A lithium compound used as a flux in ceramic glazes.

Lithium Stearate

A lithium salt utilized in cosmetics, plastics, and as a lubricant in powder metallurgy.

Lithium Hydroxide

A compound utilized specifically to absorb carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) in enclosed life-support systems such as spacesuits.

Sodium (Natrium)

The $4^{\text{th}}$ most abundant element on Earth and the predominant extracellular fluid cation; widely used as a pharmaceutical counterion to optimize the utility of organic medicaments.

Sodium Acetate

A systemic and urinary alkalizer, antacid, and diuretic identified analytically using zinc uranyl acetate, magnesium uranyl acetate, or cobalt uranyl acetate reagents.

Sodium Bicarbonate

Commonly called baking soda; a systemic antacid and carbonating agent whose side effects include systemic alkalosis, rebound hyperacidity, and edema.

Sodium Carbonate

Prepared commercially by the Solvay process and used as an acid-base titration standard and soda-lime glass ingredient; forms include washing soda / sal soda (decahydrate), trona / urao (sesquihydrate), and soda ash / calcined soda (anhydrous).

Sodium Dihydrogen Phosphate

Administered rectally as Fleet enema; functions as a cathartic, urinary acidifier, and source of phosphorus.

Sodium Metabisulfite ($Na_2S_2O_5$)

Also called sodium pyrosulfite; a water-soluble antioxidant and reducing agent.

Sodium Chloride ($NaCl$)

Known as rock salt, halite, table salt, or Soler salt; utilized as an electrolyte replenisher, tonicity adjuster, preservative, condiment, and chemical antidote for silver toxicity.

Sodium Citrate

A systemic alkalizer, buffer, diuretic, and sequestering agent; serves as the anticoagulant of choice in vitro for coagulation studies and a pro-coagulant in vivo.

Sodium Fluoride

The first fluoride compound employed in public water fluoridation, acting as an anticariogenic agent at a $2\%$ concentration and stimulating bone formation.

Sodium Hydroxide

Known as caustic soda, sosa, or lye; a highly deliquescent saponifying agent and titrant that attacks glass and combines with calcium hydroxide to make soda lime ($CO_2$ absorber).

Sodium Hypochlorite

An oxidizing and bleaching disinfectant found in Clorox ($5\%\,NaClO$); diluted forms include Modified Dakin's Solution (surgical irrigant) and Labarraque's Solution.

Sodium Nitrite ($NaNO_2$)

Known as salitre; a food preservative and vasodilator used in cyanide antidote therapy, but implicated in digestive tract cancers due to carcinogenic nitrosamine formation.

Sodium Nitrate

Known as Chile Saltpeter and extracted by the Guggenheim process; an ancient inorganic fertilizer and explosive precursor that tests positive via the Lunge test (blue interface) and Griess-Ilosvay test (red).

Sodium Sulfate

Known as Glauber's salt or Sal mirabile; used therapeutically as a saline cathartic and commercially in detergent manufacturing and paper pulping.

Sodium Thiosulfate

Known as photographer's hypo or prismatic rice; serves as a cyanide poisoning antidote and neutralizes elemental iodine in iodine toxicity.

Potassium (Kalium)

The predominant and most abundant intracellular cation, vital for muscle contraction; deficiency results in hypokalemia (paralysis), while excess causes hyperkalemia (cardiac arrest).

Potassium Glass Additive

An ingredient used in glassmaking to produce amber-colored, light-resistant glass containers.

Potassium Chloride ($KCl$)

Marketed as Kalium durules®; an electrolyte replenisher given via slow IV drip for hypokalemia that must never be administered by rapid IV push.

Darrow's Solution

An oral and parenteral glucose-electrolyte replenishment solution containing $KCl$, $NaCl$, sodium lactate, and water for injection.

Potassium Hydroxide ($KOH$)

Known as caustic potash or lye potash; a saponifying agent used to produce soft soaps, in contrast to sodium hydroxide which makes hard soaps.

Sulfurated Potash ($K_2S_x \cdot K_2S_2O_3$)

Known as liver of sulfur or Heparis sulfur; used in preparing white lotion for acne and parasitic infections, and combined with zinc sulfate to manage psoriasis.

Potassium Permanganate ($KMnO_4$)

Known as "mineral chameleon"; a powerful oxidizing agent and antiseptic ($1:5000$) that serves as a self-indicating volumetric standard in permanganometry.

Potassium Sodium Tartrate

Known as Rochelle salt or Sal signette; used therapeutically as a cathartic and chemically as a sequestering agent in Denigès' and Fehling's reagents.

Potassium Bitartrate

Known as cream of tartar or creamor; used as a cathartic and distinguished as the only insoluble potassium salt.

Ammonium ($NH_4^+$)

A hypothetical alkali metal ion prepared via the Haber process, displaying diuretic, buffering, expectorant, and anti-cariogenic actions.

Ammonium Acetate

Known as spirit of Mindererus; used pharmaceutically as a styptic agent.

Ammonium Chloride

Known as Muriate of Hartshorn; functions as a systemic and urinary acidifier, diuretic, and expectorant.

Ammonium Carbonate

Known as sal volatile, Hartshorn, Preston salt, or baker's ammonia; used as an expectorant, antacid, and respiratory stimulant.

Ammoniated Mercury ($HgNH_2Cl$)

Known as "white precipitate"; used clinically as a topical anti-infective.

Group 1B Coinage Metals

A group consisting of Copper ($Cu$), Silver ($Ag$), and Gold ($Au$) that can occur in the free metal state, readily form coordination complexes/chelates, exhibit high malleability, and are easily recovered from mineral ores.

Copper (Cuprum)

The only reddish metal; the $3^{\text{rd}}$ most malleable metal and $2^{\text{nd}}$ best electrical conductor, forming an essential component of cytochrome oxidase and hemocyanin.

Wilson's Disease

A toxic metabolic accumulation of copper causing hepatic dysfunction, CNS impairment, Kayser-Fleischer corneal rings, and renal damage, treated with penicillamine.

Cupric Sulfate ($CuSO_4 \cdot 5H_2O$)

Known as blue vitriol, blue stone, Roman vitriol, or Salzburg vitriol; used as an antidote for phosphorus poisoning, an ingredient of Bordeaux mixture, and a diagnostic component in Benedict's, Barfoed's, and Fehling's reagents.

Copper Aceto-arsenate

Commonly known as Paris Green; a potent copper-arsenic compound utilized as an insecticide.

Cuprous Citrate

Known as Hatchett's brown; used pharmaceutically as an $8\%$ astringent preparation.

Cupric Hydrogen Arsenite

An inorganic copper salt commonly referred to as "Scheele's green."

Silver (Argentum)

The best electrical conductor and $2^{\text{nd}}$ most malleable metal, endowed with oligodynamic germicidal activity; toxic exposure causes irreversible blue-gray skin discoloration (argyria), managed with normal saline solution ($NSS$).

Silver Nitrate ($AgNO_3$)

Known as lapis infernalis, lunar caustic, indelible ink, or caustic pencil; used for wart removal, as a neonatal ophthalmic antiseptic for gonococcal prophylaxis, and at $0.5\%$ as a wet dressing for third-degree burns.

Ammoniacal Silver Nitrate ($Ag(NH_3)_2NO_3$)

Known as Howe's solution or Tollens' reagent; applied in dentistry as a dental protective and tooth-desensitizing agent.

Mild Silver Proteinate

Marketed as Argyrol; contains $19\%\text{ to }25\%$ colloidal silver and functions as an eye antiseptic and treatment for vaginitis.

Strong Silver Proteinate

Marketed as Protargol; contains $7.5\%\text{ to }8.5\%$ colloidal silver and acts as a potent germicide for ear and throat infections.

Gold (Aurum)

Referred to as "shining dawn" and the "King of all metals"; the most malleable and ductile element and $3^{\text{rd}}$ best conductor, dissolved exclusively by selenic acid ($H_2SeO_4$) or Aqua regia.

Chrysotherapy

The clinical use of gold complexes (aurotherapy) for rheumatoid arthritis and Felty's syndrome, utilizing injectable gold sodium thiomalate (Myochrysine®) and aurothioglucose (Solganal®), or oral auranofin (Ridaura®).