alkali metals
Sodium's periodic family
Alkali metals are the elements in the first column of the periodic table: lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium.
They share distinctive properties—soft enough to cut with a knife, highly reactive with water, and quick to lose their single outer electron.
Sodium and potassium are the most familiar, essential to biological processes and common in compounds like table salt.
Eleventh element, highly reactive
- potassiumNineteenth element, symbol K
- lithiumLightest solid element
- rubidiumAlkali metal, atomic thirty-seven
- cesiumAlkali metal, number fifty-five
francium · periodic table · valence electron · atomic number · ion · cation · isotope · atomic mass
Softly bright, reflective
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- shinyReflecting light smoothly
- softYielding to touch
- lightweightLacking mass or importance
low density · conductive · reflective · freshly cut · tarnish · electrical conductivity
Identifying elements by combustion hue
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- hydroxideAlkaline oxygen-hydrogen compound
- chlorideNegatively charged halogen atom
- carbonateAdd dissolved gas
nitrate · sulfate · electrolysis · amalgam · alloy · Bunsen burner · emission spectrum · analytical chemistry
Prone to sudden detonation
- vigorousHaving great physical energy
- flammableProne to ignition
- oxidationLosing electrons chemically
- reducing agentElectron-donating chemical species
tarnishing · hydrogen gas · combustion · exothermic · corrosive · violent reaction
Portable energy storage units
- lithium-ionRechargeable cell technology
- sodium lampGas-discharge light source
- atomic clockQuantum-vibration timekeeping device
- nuclear reactorControlled fission energy source
heat transfer · coolant · photoelectric cell · GPS satellite · fertilizer · soap making · petroleum refining · pharmaceuticals
sodium
Eleventh element, highly reactive
- potassiumNineteenth element, symbol K
- lithiumLightest solid element
- rubidiumAlkali metal, atomic thirty-seven
cesium · francium · periodic table · valence electron · atomic number · ion · cation · isotope · atomic mass · electron shell
lustrous
Softly bright, reflective
lightweight · low density · conductive · reflective · freshly cut · tarnish · electrical conductivity
flame test
Identifying elements by combustion hue
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- hydroxideAlkaline oxygen-hydrogen compound
- chlorideNegatively charged halogen atom
carbonate · nitrate · sulfate · electrolysis · amalgam · alloy · Bunsen burner · emission spectrum · analytical chemistry
explosive
Prone to sudden detonation
reducing agent · tarnishing · hydrogen gas · combustion · exothermic · corrosive · violent reaction
batteries
Portable energy storage units
- lithium-ionRechargeable cell technology
- sodium lampGas-discharge light source
- atomic clockQuantum-vibration timekeeping device
nuclear reactor · heat transfer · coolant · photoelectric cell · GPS satellite · fertilizer · soap making · petroleum refining · pharmaceuticals
alkali metalsnoble gases
Nonreactive elemental group
inert gases · helium · neon · argon · krypton
alkali metalshalogens
Highly reactive nonmetal group
noble gases · nonmetals · fluorine · chlorine · bromine
alkali metalsnonmetals
Elements without luster or conductivity
halogens · noble gases · metalloids · semimetals · transition metals
metal, metallic, alkaline, metalwork, metalworker, metallurgy, alkali, alkaloid, alkalinity