57

ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METALS

Unit-5

1. What are S-block elements

The Elements of Group 1 and 2 are called as S-Block elements. Group 1 is
called as Alkali metals and group 2 are called as Alkaline earth metals

2. What are the general characteristics of the Alkali metals

Alkali metals are highly reactive
Francium is radio active
.Their general electronic configuration is ns'
Their common oxidation state is +1.
A s we move down the group, the IE value decrease with the increase
in the atomic number
A s we move down the group, the Atomic radius increases.

3. Explain the flame colour and the Spectra of Alkali metals

.When AlIkali metal salts is mixed with Concentrated Hydrochloric acid
and heated on a Platinum wire it give the characteristic colour flame.
When heated the valence electrons are excited to the higher energy
level
Element Colour Wavelength
nm)
Lithium Crimson red 670.8
Sodium Ycllow 589.2
Potassium |Lilac 766.5
RubidiumReddish violet 780.0
Caesium Blue 455.5

When drops back to the ground state the energy is emitted as light in
the visible region.

4. Why the second ionisation enthalpy of Alkali metals are very high ?
When a electron is removed from the alkali metals, it gives a mono valent
cation with fully filled stable np6 electronic configuration. So it is very
difficult to remove the electrons

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5. Why lithium salts are more soluble than the other metals in group 1?
Lithium is more soluble because of high solvation and Smaller size of
lithium ion.

6. What is the reason for the distinctive behavior of lithium

Lithium is smallerin size
Lithium is having high polarizing power.
Lithium is having high hydration energy
Lithium do not have any D-orbitals

7. Comparethe properties oflithiumand other elements

S.
Lithium Other elements
NmHard, high melting and boiling Soft, low melting and boiling point
point
Less reactive More reactive_
Reacts with nitrogen to give No reaction
LigN
Reacts with bromine slowly Reacts violently_
5Compounds are less soluble Compounds are Highly soluble in
in water water
Lithium nitrate decomposes to Decomposes to give Nitrite
give Oxides
8. What are similarities ( Diagonal relation) between Lithium and
Magnesium
Both lithium and Magnesium are Hard
Both lithium and Magnesium reacts slowly with water.
Both forms Nitrides with nitrogen. Eg. LisN and MgaN2
Both do not form Super oxides.
Both forms only Oxides like LiO and MgO.
Their carbonates decompose on heating giving COa gas and Oxides.
Both do not forms Bicarbonates

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9. Why lithium and magnesium shows Diagonal relation
Both lithium and magnesium are similar in size.
Li = 0.766 A and Mg* = 0.720 A
Both Lithium and Magnesium have similar Electro negativity value
Li = 1.0 and Mg = 1.2

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10. Give the action of Alkali metals with Oxygen.

.Lithium
4 Li+ O2 2 Li20 (Simple Oxides)
Sodium
2 Na +O2 Na,O2 (Peroxides)
Potassium
K Oz2 KO2 (Super Oxides)
11. Why the Alkali metals have high conductivity in Ammonia solution
This is because the alkali metals loses its valence electrons in
ammonia solution.
The cation and the electron are ammoniated to
cation and ammoniated electron.
give ammoniated

M (X+ Y) NH [M(NH3) x]* + [e( NHa),1

12. Why the Alkalimetals give deep blue colour in Ammonia solution
The blue colour is because the ammoniated
electron absorbs energy in the
visible region of the light.
(The concentrated solution is Bronze colour and
diamagnetic)
13. Give the action of Lithium with
Acetylene ( Ethyne)
H-CE C- H Na Na C C-H
Na-CE C-H+ Na N a - CEC - Na
14. Give the action of Lithium with water
Lithium reacts with water to
give lithium hydroxide
2 Li +2
H,O2 LiOH+ H,
15. Why Lithium lodide is covalent in nature
Lithium is smaller is size.
The larger lodide ion is greatly
polarized by the lithium ion

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16. Give the action of Lithium with carbon
Lithium reacts with carbon to give lithium carbide.

2 Li +2C Li,C,
17. Give the uses of Alkali metals
Lithium used for making alloys.
Eg: Li-Al alloy is used for making Aircraft parts.
Lithium carbonate is used in medicines
Lithium is used for making electro chemical cells
Cesium is used in Photo chemical cells.
Potassium chloride is used in Fertilizers.
Liquid sodium is used as coolant in nuclear reactors.

18. Give the action of heat of Lithium carbonate. And why it is less stable

LiCo,Li,0+Co,
Lithium carbonate is less stable because due to the large size difference
between Lithium and the Carbonate ion. It makes the crystal less stable.

19. Why the solubility carbonate and bicarbonates in water increases

rapidly moving down the group
This is because moving down the group, the Lattice energy decreases
more rapidly than the hydration energy

20. Give the preparation of Sodium Carbonate by Solvay process.

In the Solvay process, sodium carbonate is prepared from Ammonia.

2NH, +H,O+Co, (NH,),co,

(NH,),CO, + H,O+ CO, ^2 NHHco,
NH,HCO,+ NaCl > NH,Cl+ NaHCO,

2 NaHCO, Na,Co, + co,+H,O

The ammonia is recovered by adding Calcium Hydroxide.

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21. What is Soda Ash (Give the action of heat of Sodium Carbonate.
When Sodium carbonate is heated, it loses a water molecule to become
mono hydrate.

On heating at 373K it becomes a white powder called as Soda Ash.

Na,CO, 10H,0 Na,CO,H,0+ 9H,O

NaCO, HO Na,Co, H,O +

22. List the used of Sodium Carbonate

Sodium carbonate is called as Washing soda, which used in Laundry.
I t is used in Volumetric analysis
I t is used in water treatment to convert hard water to soft water.
I t is used to prepare Glass, Paper and Paints

23. List the use of Sodium chloride

I t is used as common salt
I t is used to prepare NaOH and Sodium Carbonate

24. Give the preparation of Sodium hydroxide.

Sodium hydroxide is prepared by the electrolysis of Brine solutionby
using Castner Kellner cell.
Cathode Mercury
Anode Carbon rod
Sodium metal is liberated at the cathode and reacts with mercury to
form Sodium Amalgam
Sodium amalgam is treated with water to give Sodium Hydroxide.
.Chorine is liberated at the anode

At the cathode

Na*+ e Na-amalgam
At the anode CI %Cl2 + e

2 Na-amalgam +2 H20 2 NaOH + 2 Hg H2

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25. Give the used of Sodium hydroxide.

I t is used as laboratory reagent.
I t is used in refining Petroleum
I t is used to prepare soap and paper.
I t is used in textile industry

26. Why sodium bicarbonate is used in Baking Cakes.

When sodium bi carbonate is heated it decomposes to gives
carbon-di-oxide bubbles and makes the cake light and fluffy.

27. List the used of Sodium Bi carbonate.

.It is used in Fire Extinguisher
I t is used as a Antiseptic for skin infections
I t used in Baking.

28. Explain the Amphoteric nature of Berylium Hydroxide.

Beryllium Hydroxide reacts both with Acid and Base.
Be(OH), + 2 NaOH Na,Be0, +2H,0

Be(OH),+2HCI BeCI, +2H,O

29. Give the biological importance of Sodium and Potassium

Blological importance to sodium lons

Sodium ions are found outside the cell in the blood plasma.
Sodium ions are used in the transmission of Nerve signal.
The sodium ions are used in the transport of sugar and amino acids
into the cell
The sodium ins are used to regulate the flow of water across the cell
membranes

Biological importance to Potassium ions

Potassium ions are used to activate the enzymes
Potassium ions participate in the Oxidation of Glucose to ATP
Potassium ions is used in the transmission of Nerve signal
Potassium ion is found in Biological fluids.

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30. What are Alkaline earth

metals
Group 2 elements Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Ra are called as Alkaline
earth metals
.The oxides and hydroxides are alkaline in nature and the metal
oxides are found in the earth crust. So they are called as Alkaline
earth metals

31. Explain the important common features of Group 2 elements

Group 2 elements Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Ra are called as
Alkaline earth metals
Their general electronic configuration is ns.
Their common oxidation state is +2.
Moving down the group the ionic radius increases
Moving down the group the lonization enthalpy decreases
Moving down the group the electro negativity decreases.
Moving down the group the hydration enthalpy decreases.

32. Why the ionic radius of Alkaline earth metals are smaller than alkali
metals ?
Alkaline earth metals have high Nuclear charge
The force of attraction between the nucleus and the outermost
electron is very high in Alkaline earth metals.

33. Why the lonisation enthalpy of Alkaline earth metals are larger than
alkali metals ? ( less electro positive than alkali metals)
Alkaline earth metals are smaller in size
Alkaline earth metals have high Nuclear charge
The force of attraction between the nucleus and the outermost
electron is very high in Alkaline earth metals.

34 Why the Alkaline earth metals have +2 Oxidation state

By losing 2 electrons Alkaline earth metals get fully filled stable noble gas
configuration. So they have +2 Oxidation state

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35 Why the IE1 of alkaline metals is high but the IE2 is less than alkali
metals?
I n alkali metals the second electron has to be removed from fully filled
stable noble gas configuration
But in alkaline earth metals, the second electron is removed from a
mono valent cation which gave still one electron.

36. Why the Alkaline metals are more hydrated than the alkali metals
The hydration enthalpy of Alkaline earth metals ions is larger than alkali
metals.

37. Explain the flame colour and the Spectra of Alkaline earth metals
When Alkaline earth metal salts is mixed with Concentrated
Hydrochloric acid and heated on a Platinum wire it give the
characteristic colour flame.

Element Colour Wavelength

(nm)
Calcium Brick -Red 622
Strontium Crimson 689
Barium Apple Green 554
When heated the valence electrons are excited to the higher energy
level

.When drops backto the ground state the energy is emitted as light in
the visible region.

38. Why beryllium shows anomalous behavior.

Smaller in size
High polarizing power
Absence of D-orbitals in the valence shell
High electro negativity and high ionization energy.

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39. Compare the properties of Beryllium and other elements

(how Beryllium differs from rest of the member of the family )

S Beryllium Other elements

Nm
1 |Forms covalent compOunds
2 High melting and Boiling point
3 Do not reacts with water
4 Do not reacts with hydrogen
directly _
5 Do not reacts with Halogen
directly
6Do not attacked by acid
THydroxides are Amphoteric
Forms lonic compounds
Low melting and Boiling point
Reacts with water
Reacts with hydrogen directly
Reacts with Halogen directly
Attacked by acids
Hydroxides are Basic

40. Why Beryllium shows diagonal relation with Aluminium

Both the Beryllium and Aluminium are similar in size
Both have same electro negativity values
Both have similar charge per unit area

41.Aluminum
Explain the diagonal relation ( Similarities) between Beryllium and
Both berylium chloride and aluminium chloride forms dimeric
structure with chloride bridges.
Both berylium and Aluminium forms complexes. BeF and AlF
Beryllium carbide and Aluminium carbide give methane on hydrolysis
Both beryllium and Aluminium renders passive with Nitric acid
Both berylium and Aluminium Hydroxides are Amphoteric in nature.

42. List the uses of Beryllium

I t is used as radiation windows in X-ray tubes and X-ray detector
.It used as sample holders in X-Ray emission studies.
I t used to built Beam pipes in accelerators
It used in Detectors.

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43. List the uses of Magnesium

I t is used to remove sulphur fro Iron and steel
I t is used in Refining of Titanium in Kroll Process
I t is used in Printing Industry
Magnesium allow in used in Aero plane construction
I t is used as Desiccant

44. List the uses of Calcium

It is used a reducing agent in the metallurgy of Uranium.
I t is used for making cement
I t is used for making Fertilizers
I t is used in Vaccum Tubes
I t is used in dehydrating oils
I t is used to prepare Plaster of Paris

45. List the uses of Strontium

Sr-90 is used in Cancer Treatment
It is used in Dating Rocks
It is used as Radioactive tracer in determining the source of
ancient coins.
S/Sr ratio is used in Criminal Forensic science.

46. List the used of Barium

. I t is used in Metallurgy and Radiology
I t is used as De-Oxidizer in refining Copper
Ba-133 is used in t alibration of Gamma rays detectors in nuclear
chemistry
I t is used to remove Oxygen in Television and Electronic tubes.

47. List the used of Radium

It is used as self luminous paint in watches, clocks, Dials and Aircraft
switches.

48. Why alkaline earth metals are less ionic than alkali metals
Alkaline earth metals have high nuclear charge and they are smaller
in size.

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49 BeO is covalent but others are ionic. Explain.

BeO is covalent because the Be ion is smaller in size.

50. Give the preparation of Barium Peroxide

2 BaO +0, 2 BaO,

51. Explain the structures of Beryllium chloride

. Cl
Be B BeCI Be
(a)
C
Cl-Becl Cl-Be ge-Cl
(b) ()

Berylium chloride having the following structures

is
Chain structure- a in the solid state
Linear monomer structure - b at high temperature of 1200K
Chloro Bridged dimer structure - c in the Vapour state

52. Why BeSO and MgSO4 is soluble in wate ?

Because the Mg" and Be" ions have high hydration enthalpy which
Overcomes the lattice enthalpy. So it is soluble
in water.

53. What is Quick lime give the preparation

Cao Calcium Oxide is called as Quick lime.
I t is prepare by heating lime stone at 1070K

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CaCO, CaO +CO,

waste gasS
limestone (CO)
and coal

mixture in

fuel fuel

air in
lime out

Figure 5.10 Preparation of Quick Lime

54. What is Slaking of lime or Slaked lime.

When water is added to quicklime, it breaks the lumps of lime. This process
is called Slaking of lime.

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55. Give the preparation of Calcium Hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide is prepared by mixing water with
quicklime
CaO+H,0>Ca(OH),
56. Give the action of Quick lime (Calcium Oxide ) with Silicon dioxide
and Phosphorous pent oxide

a) Action of Calcium Oxide with Silicon dioxide

CaO +Sio, > CaSio,

Calcium Silicate

b) Action of Calcium with Phosphorous pent oxide

6CaO +P,02Ca,(PO,),
Calcium Phosphate

57. List the used of Calcium Oxide -Quick lime

I t is used to prepare cement and glass
It is used to prepare Slaked lime
I t is used in the purification of sugar
I t is used as a dehydration agent
58. When carbon di oxide is passed through lime water, it turns milky.
Explain why?
This is due to the formation of Calcium carbonate.

Ca(OH), + CO,CaCO, + H,O

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59. Give the action of milk of lime ( calcium carbonate) with chlorine and
give its uses ?

When milk lime reacts of chlorine it gives Hypo chlorite. It is used in

Bleaching Power

2 Ca(OH)2 + 2 Cla CaCl2 + Ca(Ocl)2 + 2 H.0

60. List the used of Calcium Hydroxide

. I t is used as Building material
I t is used to White wash
I t is used for making Glass
I t is used in the purification of Sugar
. I t is used to make Bleaching powder

61.
Listthe
uses of Gypsum (Caso4. 2 HO)
I t is used for making Plaster Boards, which is used for walls and
ceilings
I t is used to make Plaster of Paris, which is used in
I t used in making surgical and ortho pedic casts
Sculptures
I n agriculture, it is used as soil conditioner and fertilizer.
I t is used in tooth paste, Shampoos and
I t is used to make
hair products
Portland cement
62. Give the role of Gypsum in Agriculture
I n agriculture, it is used as soil conditioner and
fertilizer.
I t provide calcium and sulphur, which is
required for plant growth
I t is used to remove excess sodium from the soil.

63. What is Dead Burnt Plaster

When gypsum is heated above 393K, no water molecules are left
for crystallization. It forms anhydrous calcium
called Dead Burnt Plaster.
sulphate. This is

64. Define Retrograde Solubility

When the temperature increases, the
solubility of gypsum in water
decreases. This property is called as
Retrograde Solubility

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65. List the properties of Gypsum

Gypsum is soft and soluble in water.
Gypsum is white or Grey in colour. But due to the presence of
impurities it is pink, yellow, brown and light green.
Gypsum crystals occur like petals of a flower, called as Desert Rose.
Gypsum has low thermal conductivity, so it is used for making Dry
Walls
Alabaster is variety of Gypsum, which is opaque and Granular. It is
an ornamental stone used for making Sculptors.
d6. Give the preparation of Plaster of Paris (CaSO4. %H20)
When gypsum is heated at 393K, Plaster of Paris is formed.

2Cas0, .211,0(s)>2CaSO,.H,O+ 31,0

67. List the used of Plaster of Paris
In Building industry it is used as Plasters
I t is used in the treatment of Bone fracture and Sprains
It is used for making Statues
I t is used in Dentistry

68. Define Efflorescence

The spontaneous loss of water by a hydrated salt is called Effiorescence

69. Why Alkaline metals are harder than alkali metals

Alkaline earth metals are smaller in size
.They have high density.
S o they form strong metallic bonds.

importance of Magnesium and Calcium

70. Give the Biological
Magnesium
Magnesium plays aimportant role in Bio-chemical reactions
catalyzed by enzymes
Magnesium is essential for DNA synthesis
Magnesium is essential for the stability and functioning of the DNA
Magnesium is used for balancing the electrolyte in the body
Magnesium is present in Chlorophyll and play a main role in
Photosynthesis.
Deficiency of Mg caused Neuro-Muscular irritation

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Calcium
Calcium is essential for strong Bones and teeth
Calcium is present in the blood
Calcium is used to maintain the hormones
Deficiency of calcium caused longer time for blood to clot.
71. Write the balance equation for the following chemical reactions

a) Lithium with Nitrogen gas

6Li+ Na 2 Lis N

b) Action of heat of Sodium Bi Carbonate

2 NaHCO, Na,CO, + CO + H,O

c) Rubdium with oxygen

Rb O2 RbO2
d) Potassium hydroxide with CO

KOH +cO KHCO3

e) Action of heat of Calcium Carbonate

CaCO, Ca0 + CO,

Heating Calcium with Oxygen

2 Ca Oa 2 CaO

g) Heating Calcium oxide with carbon.

2 CaO + 5C 2 CaC2 +CO2
h) Heating Calcium hydrogen carbonate
CaCOs + CO2 + H2O
Ca (HCO)
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