[samuraix]

This is an urgent question. Hope anyone can answer me as quickly and correctly as possible. here is the question:

1) The alkali metals play virtually the same general chemical role in all their reactions.
a)What is the alkali metals chemical role?
b)How is it based on atomic properties?
c)Using sodium , write two balanced equations that exhibit this role.

[kylon]

a)-In my opinion, alkali metal react with water to produce a useful gases, hidrogen.
-alkali also can react eith halogen to produce salt.

b) alkali metals need 7 more electrons to fill up their outest orbit
(octet rule). halogen have 7 valance electron that needed by alkali metal.

c) ~ 2Na + 2H2O --> 2NaOH + H2
    ~ 2Na + Cl2 ---> 2NaCl

[enahs]

We are not here to answer HW questions for you, but to help. Please show attempts.

However, since I feel like I should correct some things kylon said, you are in luck.


A) The alkali metals chemical role is not to produce hydrogen. The alkali metals readily form the +1 cations.
This means their typical role in chemical reactions is to provide an electron. To be more chemically literate about it, their role is to be oxidized or in other words act as a reducing agent. In general simplified terms.

Example with sodium:
Na -> Na⁺ + e^-


B) Kylon is correct that they need 7 more electrons to fill up their valence orbitals. But it is so highly energetically unfavorable to add 7 electrons to the alkali metals, it is reasonable to say it is impossibles.
However, as mentioned earlier, they readily lose and electron forming the +1 cations. This gives them filled valence electron shell of the noble gas preceding them on the periodic chart.
Halogens have 7 valence electrons and need only 1 electron, which can easily be donated by an alkali metals. Which is why they play together so nicely (ok, a very simplified reason to justify their reactivity with each other).


C) Are reasonable chemical reactions. Include the phases though (solid, liquid, gas, aqueous).