Explanation:
Alkali metals are the metals which belong to group 1 of the periodic table. As these elements have one valence electron so they are highly reactive in nature.
Some characteristics of metals are as follows.
- Usually metals are hard in nature.
- They have shiny surface.
- Metals are malleable and ductile in nature.
- Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
When these metals react with water then it leads to the formation of metal hydrides.
For example,
Thus, we can conclude the following for alkali metals:
a. What is the group number? - Group 1.
Are these metals reactive? - Yes
b. Do these metals occur freely in nature? - No
c. How many electrons are in their outer shell? - 1 valence electron
d. What are the three characteristics of ALL metals?
- Usually metals are hard in nature.
- They have shiny surface.
- Metals are malleable and ductile in nature.
e. Are these metals soft or hard? - Both
f. Name the two most reactive elements in this group? - Lithium And Sodium
g. What happens when they are exposed to water? - They form hydrides.