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Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry A Group 1 Alkali Metals Lithium Sodium and Potassium Questions

Practise Group 1 questions by describing water-reaction observations, choosing products and explaining reactivity from electron shells.

Syllabus
First assessment 2019
Course
Chemistry 4CH1

Exam points

  • State observations for lithium, sodium or potassium reacting with water.
  • Use radius or shell data to link faster reactions to weaker attraction for the outer electron.
  • Choose metal hydroxide and hydrogen as the products of Group 1 reactions with water.

Covered syllabus points

2.1 Group 1 reactions with water2.2 Group 1 reactivity trend2.3 Predicting alkali metal properties2.4C Group 1 electronic configurations

Question 1

[Maximum number: 4]

The diagram shows the positions of some elements in part of the Periodic Table.

Na Al S Cl
K Xe
In

Table for Question 1 — Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry

Question (a)

(a)

A teacher adds a small piece of sodium to a glass trough containing water and universal indicator.

The universal indicator changes colour.
The equation for the reaction is

2Na( s)+2H2O(l)→2NaOH(aq)+H2( g)2 \mathrm{Na}(\mathrm{~s})+2 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(\mathrm{l}) \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{NaOH}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{H}_{2}(\mathrm{~g})
[ 4 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Explain the final colour of the universal indicator.

[ 2 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

The teacher repeats the experiment with potassium instead of sodium.

Give one similarity and one difference observed with potassium.
similarity
difference

[ 2 ]

Question 2

[Maximum number: 3]

Lithium, sodium and potassium are the first three elements in Group 1 of the Periodic Table.

Question (a)

(a)

Suggest why these three elements are all stored in paraffin oil.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

Caesium, Cs, is below potassium in Group 1.

[ 2 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Give a similarity and a difference between the reactions of potassium with water and caesium with water.

similarity

difference

[ 2 ]
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