Answer:
Chemical properties of the alkali metals
Atoms of group 1 elements all have one electron in their outer shell. This means that the alkali metals all have similar chemical properties.
Reactions with water
The alkali metals react with water to produce a metal hydroxide and hydrogen. For example, sodium reacts with water:
Sodium + water → sodium hydroxide + hydrogen
2Na(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)
Sodium hydroxide is an alkali. It is a base that dissolves in water to form an alkaline solution. This solution:
has a pH greater than 7
turns universal indicator solution blue or purple
Hydrogen gas is also produced. With very reactive metals such as potassium, the energy of the reaction causes the hydrogen to burn as the reaction takes place.
Explanation:
