Lesson: Alkali Metals Chemistry

Students will be able to

• recall the position of the alkali metals in the periodic table to better memorize this important group of elements,
• highlight the trends in physical properties of melting point, density, strength, and hardness in group 1 metals,
• recall and balance equations of reactions between alkali metals and oxygen, water, or halogen gases,
• analyze the reactions of the group 1 metals with water to determine the trend in the reactivity of the group 1 metals,
• use the electronic configuration of group 1 metals to explain why the trend in the reactivity of group 1 metals exists,
• analyze information on common group 1 metals to make predictions regarding the reactions and properties of less common group 1 metals at the bottom of the group.