When alkali metals react with water, they produce hydrogen gas and a hydroxide. What is the primary reason for the high reactivity of alkali metals with water?

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They have only one electron in their outer shell, which can be easily lost.

They are very heavy and sink quickly, causing a violent reaction.

They form stable compounds with water, preventing reaction.

They have a strong attraction to oxygen, making them less reactive with water.

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Answer

Alkali metals have a single electron in their outer shell, making that electron very easy to give up; their ionization energy is very low. When they touch water, that loose electron is quickly transferred to a water molecule, breaking the O–H bonds and creating hydrogen gas and a hydroxide ion. The resulting Na⁺ (or K⁺) ion strongly attracts the hydroxide, forming a stable ionic pair that pulls the reaction forward. Because this electron transfer is so energetically favorable, alkali metals react vigorously with water, as seen when sodium reacts to produce NaOH and H₂. The key idea is that the low ionization energy and high electropositivity of alkali metals drive this rapid, exothermic reaction.

Detailed Explanation

Alkali metals have one electron in their outermost shell. Other options are incorrect because People sometimes think heavier metals react faster just because they sink faster, but that is wrong; A misconception is that alkali metals form stable compounds with water, so they wouldn't react.

Key Concepts

Reactivity of Alkali Metals

Electron Configuration

Chemical Reactions

Topic

Alkali Metals

Difficulty

medium level question

Cognitive Level

understand

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