The Properties and Uses of Group 1 Elements

Group 1 Elements: The Alkali Metals

Group 1 elements are also known as alkali metals. They include:

• Lithium (Li)
• Sodium (Na)
• Potassium (K)
• Rubidium (Rb)
• Caesium (Cs)
• Francium (Fr)

All of these elements share similar properties:

• Soft: They are easily cut with a knife.
• Silvery-white: They have a shiny, metallic appearance.
• Low densities: They are less dense than water.
• Highly reactive: They readily form compounds with other elements.

This high reactivity is due to the fact that the outermost electron in each atom is only loosely held by the nucleus. As a result, these electrons can easily be lost to form positive ions (cations).

The high reactivity of Group 1 elements makes them useful in many industrial applications:

• Lithium: Used in batteries.
• Sodium: Used in street lamps.
• Potassium: An important nutrient for plants.
• Rubidium and Caesium: Used in atomic clocks.

(This is similar to another post but is written differently to the other post, this post is written by Lydia and the other by Zak)