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S Bolock

Lithium exhibits unique properties among alkali metals, such as higher melting and boiling points, lower reactivity, and the ability to form specific compounds like Li2O and Li3N. It is utilized in various applications, including alloys for engines and aircraft, electrochemical cells, and thermonuclear reactions. Beryllium and other alkali metals also have significant industrial uses, including in alloys, X-ray tubes, and as fertilizers.

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6 views1 page

S Bolock

Lithium exhibits unique properties among alkali metals, such as higher melting and boiling points, lower reactivity, and the ability to form specific compounds like Li2O and Li3N. It is utilized in various applications, including alloys for engines and aircraft, electrochemical cells, and thermonuclear reactions. Beryllium and other alkali metals also have significant industrial uses, including in alloys, X-ray tubes, and as fertilizers.

Uploaded by

nidaanagarwal05
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© © All Rights Reserved
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(i) Lithium is much harder. Its m.p. and b.p. are higher than the other alkali metals.

(ii) Lithium is least reactive but the strongest reducing agent among all the alkali metals. On
combustion in air it forms mainly monoxide, Li2O and the nitride, Li3N unlike other alkali
metals.
(iii) LiCl is deliquescent and crystallises as a hydrate, LiCl.2H2O whereas other alkali metal
chlorides do not form hydrates.
(iv) LiCO3 is not obtained in the solid form while all other elements form solid bicarbonates.
(v) Lithium unlike other alkali metals forms no ethynide on reaction with ethyne.
(vi) Lithium nitrate when heated gives lithium oxide, Li2O, whereas other alkali metal
nitrates decompose to give the corresponding nitrite.
(vii) LiF and Li2O are comparatively much less soluble in water than the corresponding
compounds of other alkali metals.
(viii) Beryllium has exceptionally small atomic and ionic sizes and thus does not compare well
with other members of the group. Because of high ionisation enthalpy and small size it
forms compounds which are largely covalent and get easily hydrolysed.
(ix) Beryllium does not exhibit coordination number more than four as in its valence shell
there are only four orbitals. The remaining members of the group can have a
coordination number of six by making use of d-orbitals.

Lithium metal is used to make useful alloys, for example with lead to make ‘white metal’ bearings for
motor engines, with aluminium to make aircraft parts, and with magnesium to make armour plates.
It is used in thermonuclear reactions. Lithium is also used to make electrochemical cells. Sodium is
used to make a Na/Pb alloy needed to make PbEt4 and PbMe4. These organolead compounds were
earlier used as anti-knock additives to petrol, but nowadays vehicles use lead-free petrol. Liquid
sodium metal is used as a coolant in fast breeder nuclear reactors. Potassium has a vital role in
biological systems. Potassium chloride is used as a fertilizer. Potassium hydroxide is used in the
manufacture of soft soap. It is also used as an excellent absorbent of carbon dioxide. Caesium is used
in devising photoelectric cells.

Beryllium is used in the manufacture of alloys. Copper -beryllium alloys are used in the preparation
of high strength springs. Metallic beryllium is used for making windows of X-ray tubes. Magnesium
forms alloys with aluminium, zinc, manganese and tin. Magnesium-aluminium alloys being light in
mass are used in air-craft construction. Magnesium (powder and ribbon) is used in flash powders and
bulbs, incendiary bombs and signals. A suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water (called milk of
magnesia) is used as antacid in medicine. Magnesium carbonate is an ingredient of toothpaste.
Calcium is used in the extraction of metals from oxides which are difficult to reduce with carbon.
Calcium and barium metals, owing to their reactivity with oxygen and nitrogen at elevated
temperatures, have often been used to remove air from vacuum tubes. Radium salts are used in
radiotherapy, for example, in the treatment of cancer

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