Question

What are alkali metals? Why do these metals not occur in free state in nature? List the principal ores of alkali metals.

Answer 1

Alkali metals are:
- Lithium (Li);
- Sodium (Na);
- Potassium (K);
- Rubidium (Rb);
- Cesium (Cs);
- Francium (Fr).
All alkali metals have their outmost electron in the s-orbital. This pre-determines their high chemical reactivity. So that alkali metals cannot be find in the environment in the free state.
The principal ores of alkali metals are:
- Lithium (Li) - Petalite, lepidolite;
- Sodium (Na) – Sodium chloride, Borax;
- Potassium (K) – Sylime, Carnallite;
- Rubidium (Rb) - Lepidolite;
- Cesium (Cs) - Pollucite;
- Francium (Fr) – trace element in the Uranium and Thorium ores.