Alkali metal

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/alkali-metal

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the group 1 elements?Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Caesium (Cs), Francium (Fr)
2. What is the reactivity trend?Increases down the group; Caesium is the most reactive metal
3. What are alkali metals?Alkali metals are shiny, soft metals that sit in Group 1 of the periodic table. Each one has a single outer electron that makes them very similar in how they behave.
4. Why do alkali metals react so much?Because each alkali metal has only one valence electron that is loosely held, it can be lost easily. This creates a +1 charged ion and makes the metal very reactive.

Valence Electron: An electron in the outermost shell of an atom that can participate in chemical bonding.
Ionization Energy: The minimum energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom or ion.
Homologous Behavior: A pattern of similar chemical and physical properties observed in elements within the same group of the periodic table.
Electrolyte: A substance that dissociates into ions when dissolved in a solvent, making the solution electrically conductive.