Group #1 Alkali MetalsBy: Gene, Tori, Sammi, Tom

Origin of the group★ The word alkali comes from the Arabic word for

ashes.

★ Alkali is now used as another word for base.

★ Alkali metals react with water.

General Characteristics of group★ All of the elements are solids at room

temperature except Caesium.★ All of the elements have a silverish tint to them

except Caesium which is a metallic gold.★ The melting points decrease as you go down the

group. ★ These elements have low densities compared to

other elements.

Lithium (Li)★ Element: Lithium★ What: 1st element in group one. ★ Density: 0.534 g/cm3

★ Phase at Room Temperature: Solid ★ Melting Point: 180.5 degrees celsius★ Characteristics: Silvery, lightest of all metals, moist air causes corrosion.★ Origin of Name: Lithium derived from ‘lithos’, the Greek word for stone.★ Who/When: 1817 by Johan August Arfwedson★ Use of Element: Lithium is used for mental illnesses, for eating disorders

, and for blood disorders.

Sodium (Na)★ Element: Sodium★ What: 2nd element in group one. ★ Density: 0.97 g/cm3

★ Phase at Room Temperature: Solid ★ Melting Point: 97.794 degrees celsius★ Characteristics: Silvery-White so soft a room temperature you can cut it

with a butter knife★ Origin of Name: from the English word "soda" the origin of symbol Na from the

Latin word "natrium"

★ Who/When: Sir Humphry Davy discovered in England in 1807

★ Use of Element: Sodium is used as a coolant in nuclear reactors, and as a reactant in organic chemistry

Potassium (K)★ Element: Potassium★ What: 3rd element in group one. ★ Density: 0.89 g/cm3

★ Phase at Room Temperature: Solid ★ Melting Point: 63.5 degrees celsius★ Characteristics: Silvery- White and lustrous

Origin of Name: from the English word "potash", the Arabic word "qali" meaning alkali, the origin the symbol K comes from the Latin word "kalium".

★ Who/When: Potassium metal was first isolated by Sir Humphery Davy in 1807

★ Use of Element: Potassium is used in organic chemistry as a powerful Reducing Agent

Rubidium (Rb) ★ Element: Rubidium★ What: 4th element from the top in group one.★ Density: 1.53 grams per centimeter cubed★ Phase at Room Temperature: Liquid ★ Melting Point: 39.48°C★ Characteristics: Silvery-white, metallic★ Origin of Name: From the Latin word "rubidius" meaning "dark red" or "deepest

red".★ Who/When: 1861 by Robert Bunsen & Gustav Kirchoff. Found in the mineral

lepidolite by using a spectroscope. ★ Use of Element: It has been used as a component of photocells, andit is sometimes

used in fireworks to give them a purple color.

Caesium (Cs)★ Element: Caesium★ What: 6th element in group one. ★ Density: 1.873 g/cm3

★ Phase at Room Temperature: Solid ★ Melting Point: 28.44 degrees celsius★ Characteristics: soft, gold-coloured metal

★ Origin of Name: from the Latin word "caesius" meaning "sky blue" or "heavenly blue".

★ Who/When: Discovered by Gustav Kirchhoff and Robert Bunsen in 1860 ★ Use of Element: Used as a drilling fluid, to make special optical glass, as a catalyst

promoter, in vacuum tubes and in radiation monitoring equipment.

Francium (Fr)★ Who: Marguerite Perey discovered Francium in 1939★ What: Last alkali metal, atomic number 87 and atomic weight of

223 amu, it occurs naturally and is a solid at room temperature.★ Where: Curie Institute in Paris, France★ How: francium-223 is made naturally when actinium-227 emits

an alpha-particle★ Melting Point: 27oC (300 K) (Pretty low)★ Density: 1.873 g/cm3

Francium (Fr)Characteristics: Francium is a heavy, unstable, radioactive metal with a maximum half-life of only 22 minutes.

Fun Facts:

● Francium is the second rarest element in the Earth’s crust, next to astatine. Less than thirty grams of francium exists on Earth at any given time.

● The discovery of francium completed humankind’s discoveries of naturally occurring elements.

● Francium, like the other alkali metals, reacts in the present of water.

Uses of Francium: Commercially, there are no uses for francium, due to its rarity and instability. It is used for research purposes only.

Reactivity of Alkali Metals