THE PERIODIC TABLE

4.2 - The Groups

The alkali metals: Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and Fr.

View the alkali metals.

Physical Properties:	grey, soft metals that can be cut with a knife. low densities good conductors of heat and electricity
Chemical Properties:	alkali metals react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals alkali metals are never found as free elements in nature (i.e. - sodium metal does not exist as Na metal in nature, sodium exists in compounds such as NaCl, Na2CO3, etc...) alkali metal compounds are water soluble and are present in seawater and salt deposits. all alkali metals have one valence electron (section 3.3) which form ions with a positive (1+) charge
Storage:	since alkali metals react quickly with oxygen, they are stored under mineral oil or kerosene.
Abundance:	sodium and potassium are the most common; they are the 6th and 7th most abundant elements in the Earth's crust.
Common Compounds:	sodium chloride, NaCl; found in seawater potassium chloride, KCl; used in fertilizers

Follow this interesting link to see more pictures of the elements:

The Pictorial Periodic Table from Phoenix College

Section 5.2
The Periodic Table Periods and Groups ..p106

Section 5.3
General Characteristics of the Groups ..p109

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