You probably think of water together a substance that have the right to put the end fires. Yet some facets are for this reason reactive the they burn in water. In fact, they virtually explode in water. An example is shownin the picture below. About 3 pounds of sodium were added to water, and the result was one explosive reaction. Why is salt such a reactive element? In this section, girlfriend will uncover out.
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The first Group
Sodium (left( ceNa ight)) is an aspect in team 1 of the regular table the the elements. This team (column) that the table is presented below. It has the nonmetal hydrogen (left( ceH ight)) and also six metals dubbed alkali metals. Facets in the same team of the regular table have the same number of valence electrons. These space the electron in the outer power level the the atoms that deserve to be affiliated in bsci-ch.orgistry reactions. Valence electrons determine many of the properties of an element, so aspects in the same team have similar properties. Every the aspects in group 1 have actually just one valence electron. This renders them really reactive.
Reactivity of team 1 Elements
Hydrogen is a really reactive gas, and the alkali steels are even an ext reactive. In fact, they are the most reactive metals and, along with the aspects in group 17, are the many reactive of every elements. The reactivity of alkali metals rises from the optimal to the bottom that the group, for this reason lithium (left( ceLi ight)) is the least reactive alkali metal and also francium (left( ceFr ight)) is the many reactive. Since alkali steels are therefore reactive, lock are uncovered in nature only in combination with other elements. Castle often integrate with group 17 elements, which are really "eager" to obtain an electron.
Other properties of Alkali Metals
Besides being an extremely reactive, alkali steels share a number of other properties:
Alkali metals are all solids at room temperature. Alkali metals are short in density, and also some of them float on water. Alkali steels are fairly soft. Part are also soft enough to reduced with a knife, favor the sodium pictured in the figure below.See more: 16.9 Fl Oz Equals How Many Cups, Water Bottles
