Alkali Metals – Chemical Elements, Properties | Alkali Metals Periodic Table

Alkali Metals – Chemical Elements and Properties

The alkali metals are a group of chemical elements in the periodic table that consists of the elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. The alkali metals are all shiny, silver-white metals that are soft and have low densities. They all have one electron in their outermost energy level, and they all react with water to produce hydrogen gas and an alkali metal hydroxide.

Properties

• The alkali metals are a group of elements in the periodic table that have similar properties. These elements are sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and lithium (Li). They are all shiny, silver-white metals that are soft enough to be cut with a knife. They all have a low melting point and are very reactive.
• The alkali metals are all very reactive because they are all in Group 1 of the periodic table. This group is called the alkali metals because it contains the elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium. These elements are all very reactive because they all have one electron in their outer shell. When they react with other elements, they lose this electron and become positively charged. This makes them very good at neutralizing acids.

History of Alkali Metal

• Alkali metals are a group of six elements in the periodic table: lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. They are all shiny, silver-white metals that are soft enough to be cut with a knife. Alkali metals are very reactive, meaning they easily combine with other elements. They are also very flammable, meaning they easily catch on fire.
• The first alkali metal discovered was lithium. It was discovered in 1817 by the Swedish chemist Johan August Arfvedson. He was working on a new way to produce potassium from leached ashes when he found a new, silver-white metal. Arfvedson named the metal lithium, from the Greek word lithos, meaning “stone.”
• Sodium was discovered in 1807 by the English chemist Humphry Davy. Davy was trying to find a new way to produce potassium from leached ashes when he found a new, silver-white metal. Davy named the metal sodium, from the Latin word natrium, meaning “salt.”
• Potassium was discovered in 1807 by the English chemist Humphry Davy. Davy was trying to find a new way to produce potassium from leached ashes when he found a new, silver-white metal. Davy named the metal potassium, from the Latin word potassa, meaning “potash.”
• Rubidium was discovered in 1861 by the Austrian chemist Robert Bunsen. Bunsen was working with the mineral lepidolite when he found a new, silver-white metal. Bunsen named the metal rubidium, from the Latin word rubidus, meaning “red.”
• Cesium was discovered in 1860 by the German chemist Robert Bunsen. Bunsen was working with the mineral lepidolite when he found a new, silver-white metal. Bunsen named the metal cesium, from the Latin word caesius, meaning “sky blue.”
• Francium was discovered in 1939 by the French chemist Marguerite Perey. Perey was studying the radioactive decay of actinium when she found a new, silver-white metal. Perey named the metal francium, from the Latin word francium, meaning “French.”

Periodic Trends

• The periodic table is a chart that organizes the elements according to their physical and chemical properties. The table is divided into periods and groups. The periods are horizontal rows and the groups are vertical columns.
• The periods are numbered 1 through 7. The elements in each period have similar physical and chemical properties. The groups are numbered 1 through 18. The elements in a group have similar chemical properties.
• The periodic table is also arranged in order of increasing atomic number. The elements with the lowest atomic number are at the top of the table and the elements with the highest atomic number are at the bottom of the table.

Alkali Metals Periodic Table

• The alkali metals are a group of elements located in the first column of the periodic table. The alkali metals are so named because they are all highly reactive alkali metals. The alkali metals are lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium.
• The alkali metals are all very reactive due to their high reactivity levels. They all form positive ions by losing one electron. This makes them very good at displacing other elements from their compounds. The alkali metals are also very good at forming ionic compounds.
• The alkali metals have a number of interesting properties. They are all good conductors of electricity. They are also very soft and have low densities. They are all very toxic and must be handled with care.
• The alkali metals are an important group of elements. They are used in a variety of applications. Lithium is used in batteries. Sodium is used in salt. Potassium is used in fertilizers. Rubidium is used in optical instruments. Cesium is used in atomic clocks. Francium is not used in any known applications.