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Group 1: Alkali metals Reaction of sodium (Na) and water Reaction of potassium (K) in water. The alkali metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and Fr) are the most reactive metals in the periodic table - they all react vigorously or even explosively with cold water, resulting in the displacement of hydrogen.
Potassium metal can react violently with water producing KOH and hydrogen gas. 2 K(s) + 2 H 2 O(l) → 2 KOH(aq) + H 2 (g)↑ A reaction of potassium metal with water. Hydrogen is produced, and with potassium vapor, burns with a pink or lilac flame. Strongly alkaline potassium hydroxide is formed in solution.
Potassium hydride, KH, is the inorganic compound of potassium and hydrogen. It is an alkali metal hydride. It is a white solid, although commercial samples appear gray. It is a powerful superbase that is useful in organic synthesis. It is sold commercially as a slurry (~35%) in mineral oil or sometimes paraffin wax to facilitate dispensing. [3]
Potassium carbonate, formed from the hydroxide solution leaking from an alkaline battery. Aqueous potassium hydroxide is employed as the electrolyte in alkaline batteries based on nickel-cadmium, nickel-hydrogen, and manganese dioxide-zinc. Potassium hydroxide is preferred over sodium hydroxide because its solutions are more conductive. [20]
Alkali hydroxides are formed in the reaction between alkali metals and water. A typical school demonstration demonstrates what happens when a piece of an alkali metal is introduced to a bowl of water. A vigorous reaction occurs, producing hydrogen gas and the specific alkali hydroxide. For example, if sodium is the alkali metal:
The reaction between sodium hydroxide and some metals is also hazardous. Aluminium, magnesium, zinc, tin, chromium, brass and bronze all react with lye to produce hydrogen gas. Since hydrogen is flammable, mixing a large quantity of lye with aluminium could result in an explosion. Both the potassium and sodium forms are able to dissolve copper.
The reaction is consistent with the Brønsted–Lowry definition because in reality the hydrogen ion exists as the hydronium ion, so that the neutralization reaction may be written as H 3 O + + OH − → H 2 O + H 2 O. When a strong acid is neutralized by a strong base there are no excess hydrogen ions left in the solution.
In pure water at the negatively charged cathode, a reduction reaction takes place, with electrons (e −) from the cathode being given to hydrogen cations to form hydrogen gas. At the positively charged anode, an oxidation reaction occurs, generating oxygen gas and giving electrons to the anode to complete the circuit.