Alkali Metals

G 10 P R E -IB : TS AN G WA N H O
C H R I ST OP H E R M A K
F U N G KE I

Alkali metals?

Alkali metal

Group 1

Reactive metals that do not occur freely in nature, often

occur in compound forms
Only one electron in their outer shell -> lose one electron
in ionic bonding (except hydrogen) to form ions of duplet or
octet structures

Same properties as most metals but softer

React vigorously if exposed to water

Rationale behind
First Ionization energy
Energy required to remove the most loosely held
electron from one mole of gaseous atoms to produce 1
mole of gaseous ions each with a charge of 1+.

First

ionization energy of the alkali metals decreases down

the group, it is easier for the outermost electron to be
removed from the atom and participate inchemical
reactions, thus increasing reactivity down the group.

Outermost electron:
1)Distance between nucleus &
the valence electron
2)The shielding effect of inner
shell electrons

Lithium

(3)

-1st alkali metal

- Least reactive in family
- Electronic configuration

1s2,2s1

- Density lower than water

- Reacts with water, produces hydrogen gas and turns water
alkaline
- Solid, melting point : 180.5C, boiling point : 1330C
Uses include:
Disposable Lithium and rechargeable Lithium ion batteries.

Sodium

(11)

2nd alkali metal

More reactive then Lithium
Electronic configuration 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s1
Density lower than water
Reacts with water, Sodiummeltsfizzes and gives offhydrogen
gas and forms sodium hydroxide. Orange flame if lit.
- Solid , melting point : 97.794C, boiling point : 882.94C

Uses include:
- Forming table salt, with chlorine into sodium chloride,
- Reacting with water to form sodium hydroxide, hydrogen by
product
Strong Alkali

Potassium

(19)

- 3rd alkali metal

- More reactive than sodium
- Electronic configuration 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s1
- Density lower than water.
- Reacts with water vigorously, emitting purple flame. Gives off
hydrogen gas and turns water alkaline.
- Solid, melting point : 63.5C, boiling point : 759C
Found abundantly (not overdose)in bananas. ~350mg

Uses include:
Fertilizer from Potassium Nitrate compound

Rubidium (37)
- 4th alkali metal

Robert BunsenandGustav
Kirchhoff(1861)

- More reactive than Potassium

- Electronic configuration 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6, 5s1
- Reacts very vigorously with water, explosive, emits purple flame and gives
off hydrogen gas and turns water alkaline.
- Solid, melting point : 39.3C, boiling point : 688C

Uses include:
Rubidium atomic clock, uses electrons from Rb to control oscillating electric
signal

Caesium (55)
- 5th alkali metal

Carl Setterberg(1882)

- More reactive than rubidium

- Least electronegative element (tendency to attract electron to itself)
- Electronic configuration 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6, 4d10,

5s2, 5p6, 6s1

- Reacts extremely vigorously with water, explosive, emits violet flame and gives
off hydrogen gas and turns water alkaline.
- Solid, melting point : 83.3C, boiling point : 671C

Uses include:
Used as material that combines with and removes trace gases from vacuum
tubes due to its oxygen affinity

Francium (87)
- 6th alkali metal

Marguerite Perey(1939)

- Most reactive in the group

- 2nd least electronegative element
- Most unstable naturally occurring element
- Radioactive, half-life of 22 mins
- Electronic configuration 1s2,2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6,
4d10, 5s2, 5p6, 4f14, 5d10, 6s2, 6p6, 7s1
- It is supposedly the most vigorous of all alkali metals, but not
tested due to its high heat of decay and short half-life.
- Solid, melting point : 27C, boiling point : 677C ( uncertain )
No known usage

This is the end of our

presentation
We hope you have learnt more about alkali
metals through this project.

Thank you

References
H TT P S : / /E N . W I K I P E D I A. O R G/ W I K I /A L K A L I_M E TA L
W W W. C H E M I C A L E L E M E N T S . C O M / G R O U P S / A L K A L I. H T M L
W W W. R S C . O R G / . . . /2 0 1 5 / 0 1 /A L K A L I-M E TA L
- E X P LO S I O N - E X P L A I N E D
H TT P S : / /
W W W. YO U T U B E . C O M / P L AY L I S T ? L I S T = P L 8 D P U U A L J XT P H Z
ZYUWY6FYEAX9MQQ8OGR
H TT P S : / / W W W. G O O G L E . C O M . H K / S E A RC H ? Q = A L KA L I + M E T
A L S & O Q = A L KA L I + M E TA L S & AQ S = C H R O M E . .
6 9 I 5 7 J 6 9 I 6 1 L 3 . 4 4 5 7 3 J 0 J 4 & S O U RC E I D = C H R O M E & E S _ S M = 1
19&IE=UTF-8

Shielding effect
The term "shielding effect" refers to a decrease in
attraction between electrons and the nucleusin an
atom. Electrons are highly attracted to the nucleus,
because they have a negative chargeand the nucleus
contains protons, which have apositive charge. When
additional electrons are present in different orbits, the
electrons repel each other slightly. This repulsion force
works against the nucleus attraction force, decreasing
the attraction between the electrons and the nucleus.