What are the common physical and chemical features of alkali metals?
Physical properties of alkali metalsare as follows.
(1) They are quite soft and can be cut easily. Sodium metal can be easily cut using a knife.
(2) They are light coloured and are mostly silvery white in appearance.
(3) They have low density because of the large atomic sizes. The density increases down the group from Li to Cs. The only exceptionto this is K, which has lower density than Na.
(4) The metallic bonding present in alkali metals is quite weak. Therefore, they have low melting and boiling points.
(5) Alkali metals and their salts impart a characteristic colour to flames. This is because the heat from the flame excites the electron present in the outermost orbital to a high energy level. When this excited electron reverts back to the ground state, it emits excess energy as radiation that falls in the visible region.
(6) They also display photoelectric effect. When metals such as Cs and K are irradiated with light, they lose electrons.
Chemical properties of alkali metals
Alkali metals are highly reactive due to their low ionization enthalpy. As we move down the group, the reactivity increases.
(1) They react with water to form respective oxides or hydroxides. As we move down the group, the reaction becomes more and more spontaneous.
(2) They react with water to form their respective hydroxides and dihydrogens.
(3) They react with dihydrogen to form metal hydrides. These hydrides are ionic solids and have high melting points.
2M + H2 → 2M+H-
(4) Almost all alkali metals, except Li, react directly with halogens to form ionic halides.
2M + Cl2 → 2MCl
(M = Li,K,Rb,Cs)
Since Li+ion is very small in size, it can easily distort the electron cloud around the negative halide ion. Therefore, lithium halides are covalent in nature.
(5) They are strong reducing agents. The reducing power of alkali metals increases on moving down the group. However, lithium is an exception. It is the strongest reducing agent among the alkali metals. It is because of its high hydration energy.
(6) They dissolve in liquid ammonia to form deep blue coloured solutions. These solutions are conducting in nature.
M + (x+y)NH3 → [M(NH3)x]+ + [M(NH3)y]-
The ammoniated electrons cause the blue colour of the solution. These solutions are paramagnetic and if allowed to stand for some time, then they liberate hydrogen. This results in the formation of amides.
M+(am) + e- + NH3(l) → MNH(am) + 1/2 H2(g)
In a highly concentrated solution, the blue colour changes to bronze and the solution becomes diamagnetic.
Compare the alkali metals and alkaline earth metals with respect to
(i) ionization enthalpy
(ii) basicity of oxides and
(iii) solubility of hydroxides.
Compare the solubility and thermal stability of the following compounds of the alkali metals with those of the alkaline earth metals.
(a) Nitrates (b) Carbonates (c) Sulphates.
Discuss the various reactions that occur in the Solvay process.
Comment on each of the following observations:
(a) The mobilities of the alkali metal ions in aqueous solution are Li+ < Na+ < K+ < Rb+ < Cs+
(b) Lithium is the only alkali metal to form a nitride directly.
(c) E° for M2+(aq) (where M = Ca, Sr or Ba) is nearly constant.
Why are lithium salts commonly hydrated and those of the other alkali metal ions usually anhydrous?
State as to why
(a) a solution of Na2CO3 is alkaline ?
(b) alkali metals are prepared by electrolysis of their fused chlorides ?
(c) sodium is found to be more useful than potassium ?
When an alkali metal dissolves in liquid ammonia the solution can acquire different colours. Explain the reasons for this type of colour change.
In what ways lithium shows similarities to magnesium in its chemical behaviour?
Why is Li2CO3 decomposed at a lower temperature whereas Na2CO3 at higher temperature?
Find the oxidation state of sodium in Na2O2.
How do you account for the formation of ethane during chlorination of methane?
What are hybridisation states of each carbon atom in the following compounds ?
(i) CH2=C=O,
(ii) CH3CH=CH2,
(iii) (CH3)2CO,
(iv) CH2=CHCN,
(v) C6H6
What will be the minimum pressure required to compress 500 dm3 of air at 1 bar to 200 dm3 at 30°C?
Calculate the molecular mass of the following:
(i) H2O
(ii) CO2
(iii) CH4
Assign oxidation number to the underlined elements in each of the following species:
(a) NaH2PO4
(b) NaHSO4
(c) H4P2O7
(d) K2MnO4
(e) CaO2
(f) NaBH4
(g) H2S2O7
(h) KAl(SO4)2.12 H2O
What is the basic theme of organisation in the periodic table?
Explain the formation of a chemical bond.
Choose the correct answer. A thermodynamic state function is a quantity
(i) used to determine heat changes
(ii) whose value is independent of path
(iii) used to determine pressure volume work
(iv) whose value depends on temperature only.
A liquid is in equilibrium with its vapour in a sealed container at a fixed temperature. The volume of the container is suddenly increased.
a) What is the initial effect of the change on vapour pressure?
b) How do rates of evaporation and condensation change initially?
c) What happens when equilibrium is restored finally and what will be the final vapour pressure?
Justify the position of hydrogen in the periodic table on the basis of its electronic configuration.
At 700 K, equilibrium constant for the reaction:
H2 (g) + I2 (g) ↔ 2HI (g)
is 54.8. If 0.5 mol L–1 of HI(g) is present at equilibrium at 700 K, what are the concentration of H2(g) and I2(g) assuming that we initially started with HI(g) and allowed it to reach equilibrium at 700K?
Write the atomic number of the element present in the third period and seventeenth group of the periodic table.
For the following equilibrium, Kc = 6.3 × 1014 at 1000 K
NO (g) + O3 (g) ↔ NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
Both the forward and reverse reactions in the equilibrium are elementary bimolecular reactions. What is Kc, for the reverse reaction?
In the modern periodic table, the period indicates the value of:
(a) Atomic number
(b) Atomic mass
(c) Principal quantum number
(d) Azimuthal quantum number.
The reaction,
CO(g) + 3H2(g) ↔ CH4(g) + H2O(g)
is at equilibrium at 1300 K in a 1L flask. It also contain 0.30 mol of CO, 0.10 mol of H2 and 0.02 mol of H2O and an unknown amount of CH4 in the flask. Determine the concentration of CH4 in the mixture. The equilibrium constant, Kc for the reaction at the given temperature is 3.90.
Use molecular orbital theory to explain why the Be2 molecule does not exist.
An atom of an element contains 29 electrons and 35 neutrons.
Deduce (i) the number of protons and (ii) the electronic configuration of the element.
When metal X is treated with sodium hydroxide, a white precipitate (A) is obtained, which is soluble in excess of NaOH to give soluble complex (B). Compound (A) is soluble in dilute HCl to form compound (C). The compound (A) when heated strongly gives (D), which is used to extract metal. Identify (X), (A), (B), (C) and (D). Write suitable equations to support their identities.
Consider the compounds, BCl3 and CCl4. How will they behave with water? Justify.
A large number of fish are suddenly found floating dead on a lake. There is no evidence of toxic dumping but you find an abundance of phytoplankton. Suggest a reason for the fish kill.