704 s and p-Block Elements

ions (pm) K Cr O is orange because of orange coloured Cr O ion, KMnO is violet

2 2 7 2 7
2-

(3) Density because of violet coloured MnO ion. 1-

(i) All are light metals, Li, Na and K have density less than water. (7) Hydration of Ions
Low values of density are because these metals have high atomic volume (i) Hydration represents for the dissolution of a substance in water
due to larger atomic size. On moving down the group the atomic size as to get adsorb water molecule by weak valency force. Hydration of ions is
well as atomic mass both increase but increase in atomic mass the exothermic process (i.e energy is released during hydration) when ions
predominates over increase in atomic size or atomic volume and therefore on dissolution water get hydration.
the ratio mass/volume i.e. density gradually increases down the groups
(ii) The energy released when 1 mole of an ion in the gaseous state
(ii) The density increases gradually from Li to Cs, Li is lightest
is dissolved in water to get it hydrated is called hydration energy
known metal among all.
Li = 0.534, Na = 0.972, K = 0.86, Rb = 1.53 and Cs = 1.87 M (g) Aq M (aq) ; H – ve .
g/ml at 20 C.0

(iii) Smaller the cation, greater is the degree of hydration. Hydration

(iii) K is lighter than Na because of its unusually large atomic size. energy is in the order of, Li > Na > K > Rb > Cs + + + + +

(iv) In solid state, they have body centred cubic lattice.

(iv) Li being smallest in size has maximum degree of hydration and
+

(4) Melting point and Boiling point that is why lithium salts are mostly hydrated, LiCl. 2H O also lithium ion 2

(i) All these elements possess low melting point and boiling point in being heavily hydrated, moves very slowly under the influence of electric
comparison to other group members. field and, therefore, is the poorest conductor current among alkali metals
Li Na K Rb Cs Fr ions It may, therefore, be concluded that it is the degree of hydration as
melting point (K) 453.5 370.8 336.2 312.0 301.5 – well as the size of ion is responsible for the current carried by an ion.
boiling point (K) 1620 1154.4 1038.5 961.0 978.0 – Relative ionic radii Cs+ > Rb+ > K+ > Na+ > Li+
(ii) The lattice energy of these atoms in metallic crystal lattice Relative hydrated ionic radii Li+ > Na+ > K+ > Rb+ > Cs+
relatively low due to larger atomic size and thus possess low melting point
Relative conducting power Cs+ > Rb+ > K+ > Na + > Li+
and boiling point on moving down the group, the atomic size increases and
binding energy of their atoms in crystal lattice decreases which results (8) Electronegativity, Electro positivity and metallic character.
lowering of melting point. (i) These metals are highly electropositive and thereby possess low
(iii) Lattice energy decreases from Li to Cs and thus melting point values of electronegativities. Metallic character and electro positivity increase
and boiling also decreases from Li to Cs. from Li to Cs (Li < Na < K < Rb < Cs)
(5) Ionisation energy and electropositive or metallic character (ii) Electronegativity of alkali metals decreases down the group as
(i) Due to unpaired lone electron in ns sub-shell as well as due to the trend of numerical values of electronegativity given below on Pauling
their larger size, the outermost electron is far from the nucleus, the removal scale suggests.
of electron is easier and these low values of ionisation energy. (I.E.) Li Na K Rb Cs Fr
(ii) Ionisation energy of these metal decreases from Li to Cs. Electronegativity 0.98 0.93 0.82 0.82 0.79 –
Ionisation energy Li Na K Rb Cs Fr Fr being radioactive elements and thus studies on physical
IE1 520 495 418 403 376 – properties of this element are limited.
IE2 7296 4563 3069 2650 2420 – (9) Specific heat : It decreases from Li to Cs.
A jump in 2nd ionisation energy (huge difference) can be explained Li Na K Rb Cs Fr
as, Specific heat (Cal/g) 0.941 0.293 0.17 0.08 0.049 –
Re movalof Re moval of (10) Conduction power : All are good conductors of heat and
Li :1s 2 2 s1 Li :1s 2 Li 2 : 1s1 electricity, because of loosely held valence electrons.
2 s electron 1 s electron (11) Standard oxidation potential and reduction properties
Removal of 1s electrons from Li and that too from completely filled
+
(i) Since alkali metals easily lose ns electron and thus they have high 1

configuration requires much more energy and a jump in 2nd ionisation is values of oxidation potential i.e.,
noticed. M aq M e
(aq)
(iii) Lower are ionisation energy values, greater is the tendency to (ii) The standard oxidation potentials of a alkali metals (in volts) are
lose ns electron to change in M ion (i.e. M
1 +
M +e ) and therefore stronger is
+ –
listed below,
electropositive character. Li Na K Rb Cs
(iv) Electropositive character increases from Li to Cs. +3.05 +2.71 +2.93 +2.99 +2.99
Due to their strong electropositive character, they emit electrons even (iii) More is oxidation potential, more is the tendency to get oxidized
and thus more powerful is reducing nature in aqueous medium that is why
when exposed to light showing photoelectric effect. This property is
alkali metals liberate H from H O and HCl.
responsible for the use of Cs and K in photoelectric cell. 2 2

2 H 2O 2M 2 MOH H 2 ; 2 HCl 2M 2 MCl H2

(6) Oxidation number and valency
(iv) However, an examination of ionisation energy for alkali metals
(i) Alkali metals are univalent in nature due to low ionisation energy reveals that Li should have the minimum tendency to lose electron and thus
values and form ionic compounds. Lithium salts are, however, covalent. its reducing nature should be minimum. The greatest reducing nature of Li
(ii) Further, the M ion acquires the stable noble gas configuration. It
+
in aq. medium is accounted due to the maximum hydration energy of Li +

requires very high values of energy to pull out another electron from next ion. For Lithium
to outer shell of M ion and that is why their second ionisation energy is
+

Li(s) Li(g) ; H = Heat of sublimation, H

very high. Consequently, under ordinary conditions, it is not possible for 1 s

these metals to form M ion and thus they show +1 oxidation state.
2+

Li(g) Li e; H = IE
(g) 2 1

(iii) Since the electronic configuration of M ions do not have +

unpaired electron and thus alkali metal salts are diamagnetic and colourless. Li (g) Li (aq); H = – Heat of hydration, H
3 h

Only those alkali metal salts are coloured which have coloured anions e.g.