Alkali metal

The alkali metals consist of t he chemical element s lit hium (Li), sodium (Na), pot assium (K),[note 1]
rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs),[note 2] and francium (Fr). Toget her wit h hydrogen t hey const it ut e
group 1,[note 3] which lies in t he s-block of t he periodic t able. All alkali met als have t heir
out ermost elect ron in an s-orbit al: t his shared elect ron configurat ion result s in t heir having very
similar charact erist ic propert ies.[note 4] Indeed, t he alkali met als provide t he best example of
group t rends in propert ies in t he periodic t able, wit h element s exhibit ing well-charact erised
homologous behaviour.[5] This family of element s is also known as t he lithium family aft er it s
leading element .
 Alkali metals

noble gases ←    → alkaline earth metals

IUPAC group number 1

Name by element lithium group

Trivial name alkali metals

CAS group number

IA
(US, pattern A-B-A)

old IUPAC number

IA
(Europe, pattern A-B)

↓ Period

Lithium (Li)

Sodium (Na)

11

4
 5
Potassium (K)

19

Rubidium (Rb)
37

Caesium (Cs)

55

7 Francium (Fr)

87

Legend

primordial

element by radioactive decay

Atomic number color:

black=solid

v t e (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Periodic_ table_ (alkali_ metals)&action=edit

The alkali met als are all shiny, soft , highly react ive met als at st andard t emperat ure and pressure
and readily lose t heir out ermost elect ron t o form cat ions wit h charge +1. They can all be cut
easily wit h a knife due t o t heir soft ness, exposing a shiny surface t hat t arnishes rapidly in air due
t o oxidat ion by at mospheric moist ure and oxygen (and in t he case of lit hium, nit rogen). Because
of t heir high react ivit y, t hey must be st ored under oil t o prevent react ion wit h air, and are found
nat urally only in salt s and never as t he free element s. Caesium, t he fift h alkali met al, is t he most
react ive of all t he met als. All t he alkali met als react wit h wat er, wit h t he heavier alkali met als
react ing more vigorously t han t he light er ones.

All of t he discovered alkali met als occur in nat ure as t heir compounds: in order of abundance,
sodium is t he most abundant , followed by pot assium, lit hium, rubidium, caesium, and finally
francium, which is very rare due t o it s ext remely high radioact ivit y; francium occurs only in minut e
t races in nat ure as an int ermediat e st ep in some obscure side branches of t he nat ural decay
chains. Experiment s have been conduct ed t o at t empt t he synt hesis of ununennium (Uue), which
is likely t o be t he next member of t he group; none were successful. However, ununennium may
not be an alkali met al due t o relat ivist ic effect s, which are predict ed t o have a large influence on
t he chemical propert ies of superheavy element s; even if it does t urn out t o be an alkali met al, it
is predict ed t o have some differences in physical and chemical propert ies from it s light er
homologues.

Most alkali met als have many different applicat ions. One of t he best -known applicat ions of t he
pure element s is t he use of rubidium and caesium in at omic clocks, of which caesium at omic
clocks form t he basis of t he second. A common applicat ion of t he compounds of sodium is t he
sodium-vapour lamp, which emit s light very efficient ly. Table salt , or sodium chloride, has been
used since ant iquit y. Lit hium finds use as a psychiat ric medicat ion and as an anode in lit hium
bat t eries. Sodium, pot assium and lit hium are essent ial element s, having major biological roles as
elect rolyt es, and alt hough t he ot her alkali met als are not essent ial, t hey also have various
effect s on t he body, bot h beneficial and harmful.

History

Occurrence

Properties
Periodic trends

Compounds

Representative reactions of alkali metals

Extensions

Pseudo-alkali metals

Production and isolation

Applications

Biological role and precautions

Notes

References

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Last edited 2 days ago by Dicklyon