Group 1: Reactivity & Electronic Configurations
- The reactivity of the group 1 metals increases as you go down the group
- When a group 1 element reacts its atoms only need to lose electron, as there is only 1 electron in the outer shell
- When this happens, 1+ ions are formed
- The next shell down automatically becomes the outermost shell and since it is already full, a group 1 ion obtains noble gas configuration
- As you go down group 1, the number of shells of electrons increases by 1
- This means that the outermost electron gets further away from the nucleus, so there are weaker forces of attraction between the outermost electron and the nucleus
- Less energy is required to overcome the force of attraction as it gets weaker, so the outer electron is lost more easily
- So, the alkali metals get more reactive as you descend the group
These electron shell diagrams of the first 3 alkali metals show that the group 1 metals have 1 electron in their outer shell
Examiner Tip
In your exams, you could be asked to explain the trend in reactivity of the alkali metals - make sure you answer this question using their electronic configuration to support your answer.
