S - Block Elements

1st & 2nd group elements of the periodic table are called S block
elements as their configuration ends at s-orbital.
GROUP 1 ( Alkali

GROUP 2 ( Alkaline

metals)

Earth Metals)

Li, Na, K , Rb, Cs

& Fr
They are called alkali metals as their
hydroxides are strongly alkaline in
nature.

Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba

& Ra
They are called alkaline earth metals as
their oxides & hydroxides are alkaline &
these metal oxides are found in earths
crust.
Their gen. configuration is ns2 & they
make divalent ions.

Their gen. electronic config. Is ns

make monovalent ions.

& they

Their atomic & ionic radii increase down

the group due to inc. in no. of shells.
Their ionization enthalpy decreases down
the gp. Due to increase in size.The
increase in size outweighs the increase in
nuclear charge down the gp.Their 2nd I.E.
is much higher as they acquire noble gas
config. On loosing an electron.
Hydration Enthalpy i.e. the amount of
energy released (per mole) when ions get
hydrated, decreases down the gp. Due to
increase in ionic radii.

Their atomic & ionic radii are smaller

than gp 1 elements due to increase in
effective nuclear charge.Within the gp.
Radii increases down the gp.
Their I.E. also decreases down the group.
The 1st I.E. of alkaline earth metals is
higher than corresp. Gp 1 element due to
their small size as compared to them but
2nd I.E. is lower than corresp. Alkali
metal.
They also follow the same trend down
the gp but their hydration enthalpies are
larger than alkali metals due to smaller
ionic radii of 2nd gp ions. Thus their
compounds are more extensively
hydrated.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
Alkali metals are silvery
white & soft.

They are also silvery

white, lustrous & soft but
harder than alkali metals.

Their m.pt. & b.pt. Are low

due to weak metallic
bond.

Their m.pt & b.pt. Are

higher than corresp. Alkali
metals due to smaller size
of 2nd gp. Elements.
They also impart color to
the flame except Be & Mg.

They impart color to the

flame due to low I.E. &
high electropositive
nature.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: ---Reactivity towards air

& water:

Reactivity towards
hydrogen:

They are v.reactive towards

air & water (hence kept
immersed in kerosene).
They form oxides with air
which changes to
hydroxides with moisture.Li
makes oxide, Na makes
peroxide & the rest make
superoxide. As the size of
metal increases down the
gp. The stability of peroxide
or superoxide increases
due to stabilization of
larger cation by larger
anion through lattice
energy increase.
They react with metals to
make
Metal hydrides which are
ionic solids having v.high
m.pt.
2M + H2 ----------------> 2MH

Reactivity towards
halogens:

They react with halogens to

make ionic halides (MX)
except Li which makes
covalent halides. LiI is the
most covalent halide due to
larger iodide ion.

Reducing nature:

They are strong reducing

agents due to their low
I.E..Li has highest reducing
power due to its highest
hydration enthalpy.

They are less reactive

than alkali metals. Be &
Mg forms a protective
oxide film so they are less
reactive towards air &
water.
However in powdered form
Be makes BeO & Be3
N2.Mg reacts faster to give
MgO & Mg3N2.
Ca, Ba & Sr are readily
attacked by air to form
oxide & nitride. They also
react with water even in
cold to make hydroxides.
They also combine with
hydrogen (except Be) to
form hydrides MH2. BeH2
can be prepared
indirectly:---2 BeCl2 + LiAlH4--------2BeH2+LiCl + AlCl3.
They react with halogens
at high temp. To form
dihalides (MX2).They are
less reactive than alkali
metals.
BeF2 is prepared by
decomposition of
(NH4)2BeF4
BeCl2 is made from BeO:--BeO + C +Cl2 600-800 K
BeCl2 + CO
They are also vigor
reducing agents but their
reducing power is less
than corresponding alkali
metals . Be has good
reducing power (like
lithium) due to its large
hydration energy
associated with the small

Reactivity towards
acids:
Solutions in liquid
ammonia:

They react with acids to

liberate hydrogen gas :---2M + 2 HCl ------- 2MCl +
H2
They dissolve in liquid
ammonia giving
ammoniated electrons
which impart deep blue
color to the solution. The
solns. Are paramagnetic &
on standing slowly liberate
hydrogen resulting in
formation of amine:------M+ + e- + NH3 ---- MNH2 +
H2
In conc. Soln the blue color
changes to bronze &
becomes diamagnetic.

size of Berrylium ion.

They also react the same
way:----M + 2HCl------
MCl2 + H2
Their soln. in ammonia
are deep black blue
forming ammoniated
ions :-------M + (x+y)NH3 ---------
[M(NH3)x]2+ +
2[e(NH3)y]-

USES OF ALKALI METALS: --------

Li is used to make imp. Alloys & in electrochemical cells.

Liquid NA used as a coolant in nuclear reactors.
K is v.imp. In Na+ /K+ pump in our body. KCl is used as a fertilizer, KOH used to make
soap. KOH is v.imp. absorbant of CO2.
Cs is used in devising photoelectric cells.

USES OF ALKALINE EARTH METALS :---------

Be & Mg are used to make very imp. Alloys.

Be used to make windows of X-ray tubes.
Mag.hydroxide in water ( milk of magnesia) is used as an antacid.
Mag.carbonate is in toothpastes.
Ca used in extraction of metals.
Ca & Ba are used to remove air from vaccum tubes as they react with oxygen &
nitrogen at high temp.
Radium salts are used in radiotherapy e.g. in the treatment of cancer

ANAMALOUS BEHAVIOR OF LITHIUM:----------Lithium shows totally different properties

from rest of the group due to

Exceptionally small size of its atoms and ions

High charge/radius ratio (polarizing power)

Highest electron gain enthalpy and ionization enthalpy in its group

DIAGONAL RELATIONSHIP OF Li AND Mg: -------Lithium resembles magnesium (in its properties) which is placed diagonally to lithium in
the periodic table. The resemblance is mainly due to their almost similar sizes.
Points of difference b/w Li and alkali
metals-which prove its anomalous
behavior.
Li is much harder and has high melting and
boiling point.
Li is best reactive but strongest reducing
agent.
On combustion in air it forms monoxide
(Li2O) and nitride Li3N unlike other alkali
metals.
Lithium is delinquent and crystallizes as a
hydrate LiCl.2H2O.
Lithium Hydrocarbonate is not solid.
Li does not form Ethynide with Ethyne to
liberate H2 Gas ( As it is covalent in nature)
LiF and Li2O are much less soluble in water
and are more soluble in organic solvents.
LiNO3 decomposes to give Li2O but other
alkali metal nitrates decompose to give
nitrite.
e.g.:- 2NaNO3 2NaNO2 + O2

Points of similarity b/w Li and alkali

metals-which prove its diagonal
relationship.
Li and Mg are harder than other members of
their groups.
Both react slowly with H2O.
Both forms nitride by direct combination
with N2 i.e. Li3N and Mg3N2.
Their oxides do not combine with excess O 2
to form Super oxides.
Their carbonates easily decompose on
heating.
Their bicarbonates are not formed in solid
state.
Their chlorides are delinquent
Both LiCl and MgCl2 are soluble in Ethanol
due to their Covalent Character.

SOME IMPORTANT CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS :----------Sodium carbonate( washing

soda): Na2CO3.10H2O ( it is white crystalline solid,soluble in water. On heating it looses
water of crystallization to form monohydrate & above 373K its completely anhydrous &
changes to a white powder i.e. soda ash.)
It is prepared by Solvays Process as sod.bicarbonate has low solubility,it gets precipitated
easily on adding NH4HCO3.
2NH3 + H2O +CO2 ---------- (NH4)2CO3
(NH4)2CO3 + H2o+CO2 --------- 2NH4HCO3
NH4HCO3 + NaCl ---------------- NH4Cl + NaHCO3
Sod. Carbonate crystals are separately heated to give Na 2CO3 , carbon dioxide & water.
Ammonia is obtained by reacting NH4Cl with Ca(OH)2

2NH4Cl + Ca(OH)2 -------------------- 2 NH3 + CaCl

+ H2O

Pottasium carbonate can not be prepared by Solvay process as KHCO 3 is highly soluble in
sat. soln of KCl,so it can not be precipitated by adding NH 4HCO3.
USES :------

It is used in water softening,laundering,cleaning,paper,paint & textile industries.

Its used to prepare glass,soap,borax,caustic soda & as lab reagent.

SODIUM CHLORIDE ( NaCl) :--------------Its obtained from brine solution which has many
impurities like CaSO4, CaCl2 & MgCl2.They are removed by dissolving crude NaCl in
water,yhen filtering to remove insoluble impurities.The soln. is then saturated with HCl gas
to separate NaCl.
USES :---------- It is used as common salt or table salt & for preparing Na 2O2, NaOH &
Na2CO3.
SODIUM HYDROXIDE ( NaOH) :---------- ( It is called caustic soda too. It iprepared by
electrolysis of NaCl.)
Cathode : Na+ + 1 e- ---------- Na amalgam ( in thr\e presence of mercury).
Anode : Cl- ------------ Cl2 + 1eNa amalgam is treated with water to get NaOH. It is a white ,translucent solid,readily
soluble in water to give a strong alkaline soln.Naoh crystals are deliquescent.
USES :------------

Its used to manufacture soap,paper,silk & many other chemicals.

In petroleum refining & to purify bauxite ( Al 2O3) ore.
To prepare pure fats & oils & as a lab reagent.

SODIUM HYDROGEN CARBONATE ( BAKING SODA ) NAHCO 3:-----Its used as baking

soda as it liberates CO2 on heating which makes cakes & pastries fluffy.
It is prepared by saturating a soln. of Na2CO3 with CO2.NaHCO3 is less hence precipitates.
Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2 --------------- NaHCO3
USES :-------

It is a mild antiseptic for skin infections.

It is used in fire extinguisher

Solubility of Carbonates of alkaline earth metals decreases down the group,They

decompose on heating to give CO 2 & oxide. BeCO3 unstable & can be kept only in an
atmosphere of CO2.

Sulphates of these metals are white solid & stable to heat.Their solubility decreases down
the group. Be2+ & Mg2+ overcome the lattice enthalpy factor hence their sulphates are
water soluble.
They form nitrates by dissolution of carbonates in dil. HNO 3. All of them decompose on
heating to give oxide
2M(NO3)2 -------- 2 MO + 4 NO

+ O2

ANAMALOUS BEHAVIOUR OF Be :--------Be has v. small size & high I.E.. its
compounds are largely covalent & get
easily hydrolysed.
Be does not exhibit co-ordination no. more
than 4 due to absence of d-orbitals. The
remaining members of the group can have
C.N.6 by using d-orbitals
The oxides & hydroxides of Be are
amphoteric in nature.

DIAGONAL RELATIONSHIP B/W Be &

Al:-----------Like Al, Be is not readily attacked by acids
due to an oxide film on the surface.
Be(OH)2 dissolves in excess of alkali to give
a beryllate ion [Be(OH)4]2-ust as Al(OH)3 to
give [Al(OH)4]-.
Be & Al chlorides have Cl - bridged structure
in vapour phase. They are soluble in organic
solvents.
Be & Al have strong tendency to make
complexes like BeF42- & AlF63-.