C2.3 - R* Group 1 - the alkali metals

Question 1

The group 1 metals

Answer 1

The group 1 metals are:

1. Lithium
2. Sodium
3. Potassium
4. Rubidium
5. Caesium
6. Francium

Question 2

Why will we as GCSE students probably only see lithium, sodium and potassium (the first 3 group 1 elements)?

Answer 2

We as GCSE students will probably only see lithium, sodium and potassium (the first 3 group 1 elements), because:

1. Rubidium and caesium are too reactive to use in schools
2. Francium is an extremely unstable radioactive element

Question 3

Why are group 1 elements stored in oil and handled with forceps?

Answer 3

Group 1 elements are:
1. Stored in oil
2. Handled with forceps
,because they are very reactive

Question 4

What do the alkali metals have compared with other metals?

Answer 4

The alkali metals have a very low density compared with other metals

Question 5

Why do lithium, sodium and potassium float on water?

Answer 5

Lithium, sodium and potassium float on water because their densities are all less than:

1. 1g/dm cubed
2. Water

Question 6

What are the physical properties of the alkali metals?

Answer 6

The physical properties of the alkali metals are that they:

1. Are all very soft and can be cut with a knife
2. Have a silvery, shiny surface when you first cut them

Question 7

What happens when the alkali metals react with oxygen in the air?

Answer 7

When the alkali metals react with oxygen in the air, a layer of oxide forms on the shiny surface

Question 8

What do alkali metals do in a jar of oxygen gas?

Answer 8

In a jar of oxygen gas, the alkali metals burn vigorously

Question 9

Why are alkali metals so reactive?

Answer 9

The alkali metals are so reactive, because they only need to lose 1 electron to get the stable electronic structure of a noble gas

Question 10

What do the group 1 metals melt and boil at?

Answer 10

The group 1 metals:
1. Melt
2. Boil
at relatively low temperatures for metals

Question 11

When you add lithium, sodium or potassium to water, what does the metal do?

Answer 11

When you add:
1. Lithium
2. Sodium
Or,
2. Potassium
to water, the metal floats on the water

Question 12

Why does the fizzing happen when you add lithium, sodium or potassium to water?

Answer 12

The fizzing happens when you add:
1. Lithium
2. Sodium
Or,
2. Potassium
to water, because the metal reacts with the water to form hydrogen gas

Question 13

How does potassium react with water?

Answer 13

Potassium reacts so vigorously with water that the hydrogen produced ignites

Question 14

The group 1 metals react with water to form hydrogen gas.

Why are the group 1 metals called the alkali metals?

Answer 14

The group 1 metals are called the alkali metals, because the reaction between:
1. An alkali metal
2. Water
also produces a metal hydroxide

Question 15

What are the hydroxides of the alkali metals?

Answer 15

The hydroxides of the alkali metals are all soluble in water

Question 16

Universal indicator

Answer 16

Universal indicator is a mixture of indicators that can change through a range of colours to show how strongly:
1. Acidic
Or,
2. Alkaline
liquids and solutions are

Question 17

What else do the alkali metals also react vigorously with, other than water?

Answer 17

Other than water, the alkali metals also react vigorously with non-metals

Question 18

Why do the reactions of the alkali metals get more and more vigorous as you go down the group?

Answer 18

The reactions of the alkali metals get:
1. More
2. More
vigorous as you go down the group, because it becomes easier to lose the single electron in the outer shell to form ions with a 1+ charge

Question 19

The group 1 metals react in a similar way with chlorine as they do with fluorine, bromine and iodine.
What are these ionic compounds of the alkali metals and non-metals like?

Answer 19

These ionic compounds of the alkali metals and non-metals:

1. Are white
2. Dissolve easily in water

Question 20

When the alkali metals react with oxygen in the air, a layer of oxide on the shiny surface.
Example

Answer 20

For example:

Sodium + Oxygen —> Sodium oxide

Question 21

The trends for the alkali metals as you go down group 1

Answer 21

The trends for the alkali metals as you go down group 1 are:

1. Reactivity increases
2. Melting and boiling points decrease
3. Relative atomic mass increases

Question 22

Why do the alkali metals only ever react to form ionic compounds?

Answer 22

Alkali metals only ever react to form ionic compounds, because it’s so easy for them to lose their outer electron

Question 23

Metal hydroxides

Answer 23

Metal hydroxides are salts that dissolve in water to provide alkaline solutions

Question 24

When group 1 metals are put in water, what do they react vigorously to produce?

Answer 24

When group 1 metals are put in water, they react vigorously to produce:

1. Hydrogen gas
2. Metal hydroxides

Question 25

When group 1 metals are put in water, they react vigorously to produce hydrogen gas and metal hydroxides. Example

Answer 25

For example: | Sodium + Water ---> Sodium hydroxide + Hydrogen

Question 26

When group 1 metals are put in water, they react vigorously to produce hydrogen gas and metal hydroxides. What happens the more reactive (lower down in the group) an alkali metal is?

Answer 26

The more reactive (lower down in the group) an alkali metal is, the more violent the reaction

Question 27

When group 1 metals are put in water, they react vigorously to produce hydrogen gas and metal hydroxides. The more reactive (lower down in the group) an alkali metal is, the more violent the reaction. Describe the amount of energy given out by the reaction down the group

Answer 27

The amount of energy given out by the reaction increases down the group

Question 28

When group 1 metals are put in water, they react vigorously to produce hydrogen gas and metal hydroxides. The more reactive (lower down in the group) an alkali metal is, the more violent the reaction. The amount of energy given out by the reaction increases down the group. Example

Answer 28

For example, the reaction of water with potassium releases enough energy to ignite the hydrogen produced

Question 29

The group 1 metals react what when heated in chlorine gas to form what?

Answer 29

The group 1 metals react vigorously when heated in chlorine gas to form white metal chloride salts

Question 30

The group 1 metals can react with oxygen to form a metal oxide. What will form depending on the group 1 metal?

Answer 30

Different types of oxide will form depending on the group 1 metal

Question 31

Why do group 1 metals tarnish in the air?

Answer 31

Group 1 metals tarnish in the air, because of their reactions with oxygen

Question 32

Compare the group 1 metals to the transition elements

Answer 32

``` The group 1 metals: 1. Are much more reactive 2. Are much less dense 3. Are much less strong 4. Are much less hard 5. Have much lower melting points than the transition elements ```

Question 33

The group 1 metals are much more reactive than transition metals. Example

Answer 33

``` For example, they react more vigorously with: 1. Water 2. Oxygen Or, 2. The group 7 elements ```

Question 34

The group 1 metals have much lower melting points than the transition elements. What is the exception to this?

Answer 34

The exception to this is the transition metal mercury, which is a liquid at room temperature

Question 35

The group 1 metals have much lower melting points than the transition elements. Examples

Answer 35

For example: 1. Manganese melts at 2000 degrees Celsius 2. Sodium melts at 98 degrees Celsius

Question 36

The alkali metals are all what?

Answer 36

The alkali metals are all soft

Question 37

Group 1 elements are stored in oil and handled with forceps, because they are very reactive. This stops them doing what?

Answer 37

This stops them reacting with oxygen in the air

Question 38

The physical properties of the alkali metals are that they are all very soft and can be cut with a knife and have a silvery, shiny surface when you first cut them. However, this quickly goes dull as the metals do what?

Answer 38

This quickly goes dull as the metals react with oxygen in the air

Question 39

In a jar of oxygen gas, the alkali metals burn vigorously, forming what?

Answer 39

In a jar of oxygen gas, the alkali metals burn vigorously, forming white smoke of their oxides

Question 40

The alkali metals are so reactive, because they only need to lose 1 electron to get the stable electronic structure of a noble gas. They all have 1 electron in their outer shell and this does what?

Answer 40

The alkali metals all have 1 electron in their outer shell and this: 1. Makes them very reactive 2. Gives them similar properties

Question 41

The alkali metals are so reactive, because they only need to lose 1 electron to get the stable electronic structure of a noble gas. The alkali metals all have 1 electron in their outer shell and this makes them very reactive and gives them similar properties. Why do they readily form 1+ ions?

Answer 41

The alkali metals readily form 1+ ions, because they don't need much energy to lose their 1 outer electron to form a full outer shell

Question 42

When you add lithium, sodium, or potassium to water, the metal floats on the water, doing what?

Answer 42

When you add lithium, sodium, or potassium to water, the metal floats on the water: 1. Moving around 2. Fizzing

Question 43

Potassium reacts so vigorously with water that the hydrogen produced ignites. It burns with a what flame?

Answer 43

The hydrogen produced burns with a lilac flame

Question 44

Potassium reacts so vigorously with water that the hydrogen produced ignites. The hydrogen produced burns with a lilac flame, coloured by what?

Answer 44

The hydrogen produced burns with a lilac flame, coloured by the potassium ions formed in the reaction

Question 45

The hydroxides of the alkali metals are all soluble in water. The solution is what?

Answer 45

The solution is colourless with a high pH (universal indicator turns purple)

Question 46

Other than water, the alkali metals also react vigorously with non-metals, such as what?

Answer 46

Other than water, the alkali metals also react vigorously with non-metals, such as chlorine gas

Question 47

Other than water, the alkali metals also react vigorously with non-metals, such as chlorine gas. They produce what?

Answer 47

They produce metal chlorides

Question 48

Other than water, the alkali metals also react vigorously with non-metals, such as chlorine gas. They produce metal chlorides, which are what?

Answer 48

They produce metal chlorides, which are white solids that dissolve readily in water to form colourless solutions

Question 49

The trends for the alkali metals as you go down group 1 are reactivity increases, melting and boiling points decrease and relative atomic mass increases. Caesium turns into a liquid at just what?

Answer 49

Caesium turns into a liquid at just 29 degrees Celsius

Question 50

Group 1 metals tarnish in the air, because of their reactions with oxygen. The group 1 metal reacts with oxygen in the air to form what?

Answer 50

The group 1 metal reacts with oxygen in the air to form a dull metal oxide layer

Question 51

The group 1 metals have much lower melting points than the transition elements. The exception to this is the transition metal mercury, which is what at room temperature?

Answer 51

The exception to this is the transition metal mercury, which is a liquid at room temperature