THE REACTIVITY OF THE METAL INCREASES AS YOU GO DOWN THE GROUP.
for example: Lithium reacting with water only floats on the water and fizzes, wheras Sodium reacts more vigorously that lithium and ALSO has a lower melting point.
why?
-elements at the BOTTOM of the periodic table have more electrons, so more electron shells as well than the elements at the top of the table.
- this means outer electrons are much further away from the nucleus and the force between the positive and negative charges is much weaker.
- eg. the outer electron in CAESIUM is held much weaker than the outer electron in LITHIUM, and so is more reactive as it is lost easier.
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