THE ALKALI METALS

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Alkali metals and the Periodic Table

These are the alkali metals or Group 1 Elements.

H He
Li Be B C N O F Ne
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
Fr Ra Ac Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt ? ? ?

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Electronic Structure

• All the Group 1 elements have 1 electron in the

outermost shell.

2,1
Li Lithium

Na Sodium
2,8,1
K Potassium

Rb Rubidium
2,8,8,1
Cs Caesium

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Trends in Density

Lithium, sodium and potassium are all less dense than

water and so will float.
Densities follow a general, although not perfect, trend.

Element Symbol Density

Lithium Li 0.53
Sodium Na 0.97
Potassium K 0.86
Rubidium Rb 1.53
Caesium Cs 1.88

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Melting Points

The atoms in the Group 1 Element Melt. Point

elements are bonded together
(C)
using just one outer shell
electron per atom. Lithium 181
Sodium 98
As a result, melting points are
Potassium 63
low compared to most metals.
Rubidium 39
Caesium 28

Can you predict the missing data?

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Trends in Chemical Reactivity

Reactivity increases down the group. Li

Reactivity Increases
Reactions all involve the loss of the Na
outermost electron which changes the
metal atom into a metal 1+ ion. K
Losing this electron seems to get
easier as we go down the group. Rb

Cs

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Reactivity and Electron Structures

1. The outer electron (-) gets further

from the nucleus (+) as you go
down the group. This reduces the
force of attraction.

Reactivity Increases
2. The inner shells ‘shield’ the
outermost electron from the
attraction from the nucleus.

Both factors make it easier to lose

the outer electron as you go down
the group.

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Reaction with Water

The Group 1 elements all react Reaction of Lithium

vigorously with water.

Hydrogen gas is produced which Li Li H H

O
sometimes catches fire.
H H
O
An alkali is left behind in the
solution which is why these
elements are often called ‘The
Alkali Metals’. - + H
O H Li H
+
Li -
O H

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Reaction of Lithium with Water

Lithium fizzes quickly in water forming lithium hydroxide

and hydrogen.

Lithium + water g Lithium hydroxide + hydrogen

2Li(s) + 2H2O(l)  2LiOH(aq) + H2(g)

The solution that remains is

strongly alkaline.

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Reaction of Sodium with Water

Sodium fizzes very quickly in water. The gas given off can
be ignited by a lighted splint.

Sodium + water g Sodium hydroxide + hydrogen

2Na(s) + 2H2O(l)  2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)

sodium on water enlarged

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Potassium with Water
• Lithium fizzes. Sodium reacts more vigorously.
• What will potassium do?

What will the word equation

and chemical equations be
for the reaction of potassium
with water?

Potassium + water

Potassium + water  Potassium hydroxide + hydrogen

2K(s) + 2H2O(l)  2KOH(aq) + H2(g)

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The Group 1 Metals and oxygen

The Group 1 elements burn in air to form metal oxides.

Don’t try to put them out with water!

Lithium + oxygen  Lithium Oxide

4Li (s) + O2(g)  2 Li2O (s)

What will the word equation and chemical equations be

for the reaction of sodium with air?

Sodium + oxygen  sodium oxide

4 Na(s) + O2 (g)  2Na2O (s)

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The Group 1 Metals and chlorine

The Group 1 elements burn in chlorine to form metal

chlorides.

Lithium + chlorine  Lithium chloride

2Li (s) + Cl2(g)  2 LiCl (s)

What will the word equation and chemical equations be

for the reaction of sodium with chlorine?

Sodium + chlorine  Sodium chloride

2 Na(s) + Cl2 (g)  2NaCl (s)

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Uses of the Group 1 Metals

The metals themselves are too reactive to have

many uses although sodium vapour gives street
lights their yellow glow.

Lithium metal is used to improve the strength of

aircraft alloys and is also used in some
electrical batteries.

Common sodium compounds include “salt”,

(sodium chloride), “bicarbonate” (sodium sodium light

hydrogen carbonate), washing soda (sodium

carbonate) and caustic soda (sodium
hydroxide.)
Potassium compounds are used in “NPK
potassium
fertilisers”, in weedkillers, explosives and many
other chemicals.

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Using sodium to transfer heat
The activity
Following an accident at a nuclear power station three groups
are represented at a public meeting.
The debate centres around an accident involving a spill of
molten sodium metal which was being used to cool the reactor.
It needs to include:
The benefits of using sodium to transfer
heat and the fact that risks resulting from
chemical reactivity are containable.
The chemical reactivity of sodium and
the fact that if containment did fail the
whole power station could blow up.
Whether there are other safer metals
that could be used in place of sodium.
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The Incident

• Most power stations burn a fossil fuel and use water to

transfer heat from the burners to the turbine area.
• An alternative to water is sodium. Although solid it melts
fairly easily and is a better conductor of heat than water.
• This has prompted its use as a coolant to absorb and
transfer the heat produced in nuclear power stations.
• To Japan, a country with no fossil fuels, nuclear power is
particularly attractive. However, in 1996 Japan’s nuclear
industry suffered a setback when a split in a stainless
steel pipe spewed 3 tonnes of molten sodium over the
reactor floor.
• Nuclear representatives say there was no radiation leak
and opponents to nuclear power were whipping up public
concern.
• Anti-nuclear protestors say that had it leaked underneath
the floor the entire nuclear station would have been at
risk.
• The government agreed to make plans about how to deal
with a nuclear accident just in case one did ever happen.
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Nuclear Industry Representatives group

• Make a case as to why Japan must have nuclear

power.
• Spell out the very low accident rate in the industry.
• Explain why a liquid that can absorb heat better is a
good thing (safer?) for a nuclear reactor.
• Spell out the fact that you understand the common
reactions of sodium and had already set in place
systems to prevent these reactions being a danger.
• Make clear that there is no totally safe way of
generating energy and that use of fossil fuels also
entails accidents and guaranteed pollution.

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Anti-Nuclear Protest group

• Explain that risk assessment must take account both of

the chances of an accident and the impact of that
accident. Leaked long lasting radioactive material or
even melt-down and nuclear explosion!
• Challenge the use of sodium (rather than larger
volumes of water) as representing a needless risk.
• Spell out in detail the possibility of explosive reactions
involving sodium and potentially devastating outcomes.
• Other fuels are available even if they have to be
imported.

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Dr Ivan Idea Syndicate

• One of the main reasons for using sodium is that it

melts easily and, as a metal, it conducts heat well.
• Check out the melting point, reactivity and toxicity of
other metals and consider the feasibility of using
them.
• Are there particular risks you would need to guard
against? Can you suggest ways to minimise these?
• Or - should you just go back to using water for heat
transfer?

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Dr Ivan Idea Syndicate 2
Some data on the metals that melt below 500oC.

Metal Symbol At Mass Melt Point (oC ) Relative cost

Mercury Hg 200.59 -38.7 10
Caesium Cs 132.9 28.4 25
Gallium Ga 69.72 29.9 1055
Francium Fr 223 30 unavailable
Rubidium Rb 85.47 39 198
Potassium K 39.1 63.8 7.4
Sodium Na 22.99 98 1
Indium In 114.82 156.8 unavailable
Lithium Li 6.94 179 26

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How many electrons do the alkali
metals have in their outer shell?

A. 1
B. 2
C. 4
D. 7

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What charge ions are formed by the
alkali metals?

A. 4
B. 3
C. 2
D. 1

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Which answer lists the alkali metals in
order of increasing reactivity?

A. Na, Li, K,
B. K, Na, Li
C. Li, Na, K
D. Li, K, Na

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When alkali metals react with water
we get:

A. Hydrogen + a metal oxide

B. Oxygen + a metal oxide
C. Hydrogen + a metal hydroxide
D. Oxygen +a metal hydroxide

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What will the melting point of caesium be?

A. -10oC B. 0oC C. 28oC D. 38oC

200
181
Li
150
M.Pt (C)

100 98
Na
63
50
K 39
28
R Cs Fr
0
0 2 4 6 8
Period

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