Group 1 Metals

• group 1 metals are the alkali metals
• the reaction with group 1 metals and water produces a metal hydroxide solution (alkaline). It also produces hydrogen, which is why there is fizzing
• can be written as chemical equations e.g sodium

  sodium + water —-> sodium hydroxide + hydrogen

  2Na (s) + 2H2O (l) —-> 2NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)
• group 1 metals also react with oxygen in the air to form metal oxides
• the become more reactive down the group e.g lithium is the least reactive and francium is the most reactive
• atoms lose electrons more easily down the group as the outer electron shells get further away from the nucleus