The s-block elements: alkali & alkaline earth metals

Chapters 11, 12, and 6 in H&S H&S, Fig 1.13, p. 23

 Alkali Metals (s1)

Li
Na

Rb

Cs
 General Properties of Metals
~lustrous surface (shiny)

~dense
~hard
~malleable (can be flattened, deformed)
~ductile (can be pulled into wires)
~ high thermal conductivity
~ high 3D electrical conductivity
even though two orders of magnitude difference between worst(plutonium) and
best(silver) metal conductivities under ambient conditions, plutonium conductivity is
105 higher than best conducting nonmetallic element
Bonding in metals?
~ electrons are equally shared

~ in the solid state, the bulk structure consists of ordered arrays of atoms: these are
crystalline materials with lattice structures.
 Metallic Bonding
~ a sea of shared valence electrons within a crystal structure of cations
Metallic Bonding
a) In which direction would you expect the strength of the
metallic bond to increase?
b) In which direction would you expect the melting point
to increase?
A B C D
Li
Na

Rb

Cs
Some chemical and physical properties of the alkali metals & ions

H&S, Fig 11.1, p. 287

Some chemical reactions of the alkali metals & ions

element Hrxn kJ/mol melting point ( C) density

(M+H2OMOH + H2) (g/cm3)

Li

Na

Rb

Cs
Some chemical reactions of the alkali metals & ions

element Hrxn kJ/mol melting point ( C) density

(M+H2OMOH + H2) (g/cm3)

Li -403 180 0.53

Na -284 98 0.97

K -283 64 0.86

Rb -272 39 1.53

Cs -262 29 1.87
 4 Li(s) + O2(g) > 2Li2O

The oxide in the above reaction is a:

a) Superoxide
b) Peroxide
c) Oxide
 Provenance of alkali metals: salts!

H&S Fig. 11.1, p286:

Electrolysis cell used in the Downs process to
make sodium and chlorine from NaCl
Provenance of alkali metals: salts!

H&S Fig. 11.2a, p286:

Uses of NaCl in the US in 2005

~1/2 worlds deposits of potash (KCl)

found in ancient lakebeds under SK, MB
and NB, cocrystallized with lots of other
salts e.g. like carnalite and other Mg
salts.
 What is potash?

Common name Chemical name Formula

Caustic potash or potash lye potassium hydroxide KOH

Carbonate of potash, salts of tartar, potassium carbonate K2CO3
or pearlash
Chlorate of potash potassium chlorate KClO3
Muriate of potash potassium chloride KCl
Nitrate of potash or saltpeter potassium nitrate KNO3
Sulfate of potash potassium sulphate K2SO4
Permanganate of potash potassium permanganate KMnO4
Lets bring in group 2, the alkaline earth metals
Some properties of the alkaline earth elements

H&S, Table 12.1, p. 309

 Comparing properties of the alkalis and alkaline
H&S, Table 12.3, p. 322
earths
 Oxides of the s-block elements-review of group one (alkali)
The alkali metals will also react with oxygen to give relatively simple ionic solids,
However, when they are heated in (dry) air or an excess of O2(g), the main products
vary depending on the metal.
~ The alkalis are unusual in this regard - most metals burn to give simple oxides,
compounds of the O2 ion.

Li behaves normally 4 Li(s) + O2(g) > 2Li2O (s) crystallizes with antifluorite
structure
Na combusts to form sodium peroxide (peroxide ion is O22)
2Na(s) + O2(g) > Na2O2 (s)
K, Rb, Cs react with oxygen to give superoxides (O21; paramagnetic)
e.g. K(s) + O2(g) > KO2 (s) also called potassium dioxide
All of these products react vigorously with water to give the corresponding metal
hydroxides.
Li2O(s) + H2O(l) > 2LiOH (aq)

Na2O2(s) + 2H2O(l) > 2NaOH (aq) + H2O2 (aq)

Breathing
2KO2(s) + 2H2O(l) > 2KOH (aq) + H2O2 (aq) + O2(g)
masks!
KOH(aq) + CO2(g) > KHCO3 (s) (HCO3 = hydrogencarbonate anion)
 Oxides of the alkaline earth metals
The alkaline earth metals tarnishin air (can you write a balanced equation?) at RT,
but combust (burn) when heated.
Mg-Ba form 1:1 metal oxides, MO, which crystallize with NaCl-type structures.

MgO has a melting point of 2825C; in its crystalline form is a great thermal
conductor and a lousy electrical conductor

CaO is called quicklime; produced in huge quantities from calcium carbonate

(limestone):

~ quicklime exhibits thermoluminescence: glows with bright white light when flame-
heated.

MgO is pretty insoluble in water, but the others react with water to form the
hydroxides, which tend to be insoluble.
 Review of Bonding
-intermolecular (between molecules)
-Van der Waals aka London dispersion aka induced dipole-
induced dipole

-dipole-induced dipole

-dipole-dipole

-hydrogen bonding
 Review of Bonding
intramolecular (within molecules)
-covalent

-polar covalent

-ionic*

intramolecular/intermolecular (crystal forming)

-metallic

-ionic*
Induced Dipole
Ionic
Metallic