Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · CHEMISTRY · Chapter
The Alkali Metals
85 practice questions
Topics covered
Practice questions
21–30 of 85
Question 21
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]State the electronic configuration of a sodium atom (Na).
(b)[2 marks]Explain how the electronic configuration of sodium affects its reactivity compared to lithium.
Question 22
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A potassium atom has 19 electrons. How many electron shells does it have? Show your working.
Question 23
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Explain why the outer electron in a caesium atom is lost more easily than the outer electron in a lithium atom.
Question 24
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[1 mark]Alkali metals: electronic configuration and reaction speed with water Metal Number of electron shells Relative reaction speed Lithium 2 slow Sodium 3 medium Potassium 4 fast State the trend in reactivity as you go down Group 1 based on this table.
(b)[1 mark]Describe how the number of electron shells changes across the metals in the table.
(c)[1 mark]Explain, using the data, why potassium reacts faster than sodium.
Question 25
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Which Group 1 element has its outer electron closest to the nucleus? Give the element's name.
Question 26
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →(a)[2 marks]Fill in the table below for the first three Group 1 metals.
Metal Electronic configuration Lithium Sodium Potassium (b)[1 mark]State which of these metals is most reactive.
Question 27
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A sodium atom has 11 electrons. Calculate the number of electrons in its outer shell.
Question 28
2 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →State how the electronic configuration changes as you go down Group 1, and explain how this relates to the change in reactivity.
Question 29
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The Group 1 elements react by losing their single outer electron.
(a)[1 mark]Draw and label the electronic configuration for a sodium atom (Na).
(b)[2 marks]Explain, in terms of its electronic configuration, why sodium is more reactive than lithium.
(c)[1 mark]State what happens to the attraction between the nucleus and outer electron as you move from sodium to potassium.
Question 30
3 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K) are all Group 1 metals. Each loses its single outer electron in reactions. The number of protons in lithium is 3, in sodium is 11, and in potassium is 19.
Calculate the number of electron shells in an atom of potassium and explain how this relates to its reactivity compared to sodium.