PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
(1) Size :
On Moving Left to right Zeff
Li Be
increase so size decreases.
Alkali metal > Alkaline earth metal
Na Mg
Eg. Li > Be
K Ca
On moving Top to Bottom,
number of shell increases so size
increases. Rb Sr
Eg. i) Li < Na < K < Rb < Cs
Cs Ba
ii) Be < Mg < Ca < Sr < Ba
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
(2) Density () :-
M Dominating
ρ=
V factor
M Mass, V Volume
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
(3) Flame test :- s- block metals and their salts give
characteristic colour to the flame.
(Except Be & Mg due to High IP )
Li – Crimson red Be – X
Na – Golden yellow Mg – X
K – Violet / Lilac Ca – Brick red
Rb – Red violet Sr – Crimson red
Cs – Blue Ba – Apple green
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
(6) Melting Point :-
Generally s-block metals have lower melting point than d-
block elements due to larger size and weak metallic bond.
IIA metals have Stronger Metallic Bond than IA due to
smaller size and have two electron in valence shell hence
melting point is higher.
IA IIA
Li > Na > K > Rb > Cs Be > Ca > Sr > Ba > Mg
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(2) Reaction with air :-
(i) Except 'Be' all s-block metal get tarnish (dull) due to
formation of stable oxide layer on it.
(ii) Except 'Be' all s-block metal form metal carbonate in
presence of moist air.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Moist Air :- O2, CO2, H2O
For Ex.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Dry Air :- O2, N2
Li & all IIA metal form metal oxide & metal nitride on
reaction with dry air (O2 and N2 ) & remaining metals form
only metal oxide.
For Ex. (a) Li + dry air Li2O + Li3N
(b) Na + dry air Na2O
(c) Mg + dry air MgO + Mg3N2
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(3) Reaction with Oxygen:-
O O O2
IA M
2
M2O
2
M2O2 MO2
O2 O2
IIA M MO MO2
Mainly Li forms monoxide, Na form peroxide and other
alkali metals form superoxide.
All IIA metals form monoxide but Ca, Sr, Ba also form
peroxide.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(3) Reaction of Oxides with Water :- M : Metal
[Link] oxide + H2O [Link]
[Link] + H2O [Link] + H2O2
[Link] + H2O [Link] + H2O2 + O2
For Ex. BaO2 + H2O Ba(OH)2 + H2O2
(Barium peroxide)
QUESTIONS
Q. KO2 is used in oxygen cylinders of space air craft as it :
(1)Absorbs O2
(2)Eliminate moisture
(3) Absorb CO2 and increase O2 content
(4) Forms ozone
Solution: Ans. (3)
KO2 + H2O KOH + H2O2 + O2
KOH + CO2 K2CO3 + H2O
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(5) Reaction with Hydrogen :-
IA M + H2 MH Hydride ion : H-
IIA M + H2 MH2 (Except Be)
Ex. i) 2Na + H2 2NaH BeH2 and
MgH2 are
covalent and
ii) Ca + H2 CaH2 (Hydrolith) polymeric
hydride.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(6) Reaction with Dry ammonia :-
Li + dry NH3 Li2NH + H2
Lithium imide (Lithimide)
Na + dry NH3 NaNH2 + H2
Sodium amide (Sodamide)
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
(7) Solubility in Liquid Ammonia :- s-block metal due to low IP
dissolved in liq. NH3 & form blue colour solution (except Be and
Mg due to high IP do not show this property).
Na + liq. NH3 Na+ (NH3)x + e- (NH3)y
Solvated Solvated
cation or electron or
ammoniated ammoniated
cation electron
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Properties of this solution :
i) Blue colour
ii) Paramagnetic nature
iii) Reducing nature
iv) Conducting Solution
Reason of property (i), (ii), (iii) is ammoniated
electron and for property (iv) is ammoniated
electron and ammoniated cation.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
On standing/heating/adding Fe and Pt BLUE colour of the
solution fades or disappears due to the formation of metal
amide & hydrogen.
On increasing metal concentration in this solution blue colour
convert into BRONZE due to formation of METAL CLUSTER.
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Method of preparation of Caustic Soda (NaOH) :-
1. Electrolytic method (CASTNER KELLNER CELL)
Anode Graphite
Cathode Mercury
Electrolyte Brine (NaCl solution)
NaCl Na+ + Cl-
At Anode : Cl- ½ Cl2 + e-
(oxidation)
At Cathode : Na+ + e- Na ([Link] - Sodium Amalgam)
(Reduction)
2Na-Hg + 2H2O 2NaOH + 2Hg + H2
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Properties of NaOH :-
i) White crystalline solid.
ii) DELIQUESCENT due to H-Bonding with water
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
iii) It acts as a Strong base and it react with non-metal and
non-metal oxide
For Example :
a) NaOH + CO2 Na2CO3 (Sodium Carbonate)
b) NaOH + SiO2 Na2SiO3 (Sodium Silicate)
c) NaOH + B Na3BO3 (Sodium Borate)
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
iv) Reaction with Amphoteric Metal (Al, Zn, Be, Sn, Pb).
a) Al + NaOH NaAlO2/Na+[Al(OH)4]- + H2
(excess) (Sodium meta aluminate)
(Soluble complex)
b) Zn + NaOH Na2ZnO2 /2Na+ [Zn(OH)4]-2+ H2
(excess) (Sodium zincate)
(Soluble complex)
When amphoteric metal react with alkalies then
amphoteric metal will be present in complex anion.
QUESTIONS
Q. Zn is a metal when it reacts with excess of NaOH it forms
a soluble complex . In that Complex Zn is present in-
(1) Cationic Part
(2) Anionic Part
(3) Both Part
(4) There is no ion in Complex
Ans. (2)
Any amphoteric metal, it’s oxide, hydroxide and salt give
same complex on reaction with excess of NaOH.
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Washing Soda (Na2CO3.10H2O) :-
(SOLVAY PROCESS or Soda ammonia process)
CaCO3 CaO + CO2
NH3 + H2O + CO2 NH4HCO3
(excess)
NH4HCO3 + NaCl NH4Cl + NaHCO3
NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Overall Reaction
2NaCl + CaCO3 Na2CO3 + CaCl2
Compound consumed during the preparation of Na2CO3
by solvay process are CaCO3 & NaCl
Important
CO2 and NH3 recycled in this process.
REGENERATION OF NH3
2NH4Cl + CaO NH3 + CaCl2 + H2O
(by-product)
QUESTIONS
Q. Potassium Carbonate cannot be made by the Solvay
process because
(1) KHCO3 is unstable
(2) KHCO3 is soluble in water
(3) K2CO3 is insoluble in water
(4) K2CO3 is soluble in water
Ans. (2)
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Note :-
Bicarbonate or Hydrogen carbonate ion : HCO3-
IA - MHCO3 and IIA - M(HCO3)2
LiHCO3 & IIA bicarbonate exist in solution state due to
hygroscopic nature (Remaining s-block metal bicarbonates
exist in solid state).
Bicarbonate salts are amphoteric in nature.
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Properties of NaHCO3
i) Hydrolysis : NaHCO3 + H2O NaOH + H2CO3
ii) Effect of heat : 2NaHCO3 Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2
iii) Reaction with acids : NaHCO3 + HCl NaCl + H2O + CO2
iv) Reaction with bases : NaHCO3 + NaOH Na2CO3 + H2O
Note : Reaction (iii) and (iv) explain amphoteric behavior of
NaHCO3
QUESTIONS
Q. Which of the following can’t exist together in solution?
(1) NaOH and NaHCO3 (2) NaOH and Ca(OH)2
(3) HCl and NaCl (4) CaCO3 and MgCO3
Ans. (1)
Acts as acid
CO3-2
-H+
HCO3-
+H+ H2CO3
Acts as base
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
Properties of Na2CO3
i) Efflorescence :
Na2CO3.10H2O when exposed to air it gives out nine out
of ten H2O molecules.
Na2CO3.10H2O Na2CO3.H2O + 9H2O
(Monohydrate)
This process is called efflorescence. Hence washing soda
loses weight on exposure to air.
ii) Heating effect :
Na2CO3 . 10 H2O Na2CO3 X
CHEMISTRY OF LIGHTER ELEMENTS
iii) Hydrolysis : Aqueous solution of Na2CO3 is alkaline in
nature due to anionic hydrolysis.
Na2CO3 2Na+ + CO3–2
CO3–2 + H2O H2CO3 + 2OH–
(Carbonic acid)
iv) Reaction with CO2 (Excess) :
Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O 2NaHCO3
(Sodium Bicarbonate)
