Alkali Metals

Alkali metals lie in the left row of the periodic table. It contains a total of 6 metals: (Li) lithium, (Na) sodium, (K) potassium, (Rb) rubidium, (Cs) cesium, and (Fr) francium. Alkali metals are also well known as group1 metals as they are of the first group. The group 1 metals are named so because when these metals react with water, they change into alkalies. Alkali metals are the highest reactive metals that can be found easily in nature, as they get combined easily with different elements.

Important Aspects of Alkali Metals

Highly reactive metals

Alkali metals react with water and other elements. Like minerals—NaCl (sodium chloride), KCl (potassium chloride), and MgCl2 (magnesium chloride), etc., they are also soluble in water and easy to purify and extract.

Conduct heat and electricity

All the alkali metals are lustrous, meaning they have a shiny structure. Besides that, they are highly flexible and a good conductor of electricity and heat.

Low melting point

The alkali metals consist of low melting points. Out of these, the lightest alkali metal is lithium. Its melting point ranges around 179 °C (354 F ).

Alkali Metals: Electronic Configuration

Electronic configuration includes valency, outer shells, electropositive elements, and more. Let’s see each element one by one:

• The total number of electrons in the alkali metal is only one. And it is present in the valence shell.
• Generally, the electronic configuration of the alkali elements is presented by ns1.
• Outer shell electrons are loosened to create cations with a positive charge.
• The loss of the electrons makes the elements in the most positive electrons. That’s the only reason they are not found in the pure state.

Chemical Properties of Alkali Metals

Alkali metals have a lot of use cases in industries and everyday life. Here are its chemical properties that can help you understand its application better.

Nitrides and phosphides

• The electronic metal will also react with the present atmospheric nitrogen.
• Example:            6M + N2 = 2M3N

Oxides

• The alkali metal reacts with the present atmosphere oxygen. And later, it gets tarnished with nature shining.
• It is a substance that gets burned with the present oxygen and, as a result, forms oxides.
• The oxide that gets formed is different. The present atmospheric oxygen is different in the oxidation state.
• The sodium helps form the peroxides, and smaller lithium makes the normal oxide, whereas the larger atoms form superoxides.

Extraction of Alkali Metals

The extraction of alkali metals is done with the help of a simple extraction method. However, the normal extraction method is not used in the alkali metal. Here is why:

• Due to the higher numbers of electropositive metals
• Being strong reducing agents, it is not possible to extract alkali metals by reducing their chlorides or oxides
• Can’t be displaced from the aqueous solution of their respective salts due to being highly electropositive
• Can’t isolate alkali metals through electrolysis

The Electrolysis Process

Here is the step by step description of the electrolysis process:

• The solutions’ hydrogen ions get reduced to the gaseous hydrogen state at the time of electrolysis.
• Only two elements, i.e., sodium and potassium, are formed with the electrolysis process and are fused to the sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide.
• The alloys get formed with the alkali metal with mercury and other metals.

Alkali Metal Reactions

The alkali metal is the most reactive element in the periodic table. The alkali metal reacts with different elements.

• Potassium and oxygen form potassium oxide.
• Sodium and chlorine form sodium chloride.
• Potassium and chlorine from potassium chloride.

Lithium’s behaviour

• Lithium is a different element from alkali metals as lithium metal has a more covalent nature. It is due to the presence of the smallest size.
• Lithium has good resisting power, and it is one of the strongest characteristics.

Uses of Alkali Metals

• They are used as a potent reducing agent.
• Lithium is used to make heat resistive glasses and ceramics.
• Lithium compound is also used to synthesise vitamin A.
• Lithium carbonate can be used to treat manic depression and mental disorders.

Properties of Alkali Metals

Melting and boiling points

• Both points for the alkali metal are at a low rate due to the weak crystal lattice bonding.
• With the increase in the diameter of metal atoms, the non-bonding electron bonding will also increase.

Electropositivity

• The alkali metals are highly positive.
• The metallic nature of the alkali metal will increase the strength of the metals.

Electrical conductivity

• The metal’s valence electrons move freely in nature, passing through the crystal.
• Alkali metals are a good source of electricity and heat.

Density

• Some elements of the alkali metals have a high density. This is due to the presence of the closer arrangements of atoms.
• The density depends on the atomic number. It is when the atomic number decreases the density will increase.

Smoothness

• The alkali metals are smooth, soft, and pliable.
• The oscillation electron will give a shiny nature to the alkali metal.

Conclusion

The alkali metals are highly reactive. It is not possible to get alkali metals in nature. Because of the alkali metals’ low ionisation enthalpy, they will also reduce the electrons. There are many properties of the alkali metals that make them different from each element. For example, one electron is present in the outer shell of the metal.