Group 1

• What are the elements in group 1 known as?


  Alkali metals
• What are the first three alkali metals?

  Lithium, Sodium, Potassium
• How does lithium react with oxygen?

  Lithium reacts with oxygen to form lithium oxide.
• How does sodium react with oxygen?


  Sodium oxide is formed
• How does potassium react with oxygen?


  Forms potassium oxide
• How does chlorine react with lithium?


  Chlorine reacts with lithium to form lithium chloride.
• How does sodium react with chlorine?


  It formed sodium chloride
• How does chlorine react with potassium?


  Chlorine reacts with potassium to form potassium chloride.
• How does lithium react with water?

  Lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas is formed, there is some fizzing as hydrogen gas is produced
• How does sodium react with water?

  Sodium reacts more vigorously with water than lithium, it produces sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas
• How does potassium react with water?

  Potassium reacts even more violently with water. When potassium is added to water, potassium hydroxide is formed and hydrogen gas
• What is formed when alkali metals react with water?


  Alkali metal hydroxides and hydrogen gas.
• Name the characteristics of alkali metals:


  Soft, easy to cut

  Light, less dense than water

  Very reactive, react quickly especially with water

  Low melting and boiling points that decrease down the group

  Form +1 ions, lose one electron to become positively charged

  Create strong bases when they react with water

  Burn with different colours, red for lithium, yellow for sodium, lilac for potassium
• What is the number of valence electrons in group 1 metals?

  One valence electron
• Why are group 1 metals very reactive?

  They want to lose their one valence electron
• How does reactivity change as you move down group 1 metals?

  Reactivity increases as you go down the group
• Why does it take little energy to remove the outer electron in group 1 metals?

  Because the outer electron is further from the nucleus down the group
• What happens when group 1 metals react with water?

  They lose their outer electron and form +1 ions
• What type of compounds do group 1 metals create in water?

  They create strong bases
• What are two physical properties of group 1 metals?

  Low density and low melting points
• What are the key properties of group 1 metals due to their single outer electron?

  • Very reactive
  • Easily lose their outer electron
  • Form +1 ions
  • Create strong bases in water
  • Low density
  • Low melting points
• Why do group 1 elements have low melting and boiling points?


  Weak metallic bonding, there are weak forces of attraction between these bonds and so less energy is required to overcome these forces
• Why does the reactivity of the group 1 elements increase down the group?


  The atoms increase in size, there are more shells so the outer shell is further away from the nucleus, the electrostatic attraction between the nucleus and the outer electron is weaker so it is easier to lose the one outer electron
• What forms when metal and water react?

  Metal hydroxide + hydrogen
• What happens when alkali metals react with water?


  They produce hydrogen gas and form alkaline solutions.
• What is observed when alkali metals react with water?


  1. fizzing, this is due for the formation of hydrogen gas
  2. The solid disappears because the metal gets used up