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This question is about Group 1 elements - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 4
This question is about Group 1 elements. Give two observations you could make when a small piece of potassium is added to water. 1 2 Complete the equation for th... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This question is about Group 1 elements - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Explain why the reactivity of elements changes going down Group 1.
Answer
Reactivity increases going down Group 1 because:
- The outer electron is further from the nucleus, leading to less attraction between the nucleus and the outer electron.
- There are more electron shells as you move down the group, which causes increased shielding and makes it easier for the atom to lose its outer electron.
Step 4
Draw a dot and cross diagram to show what happens when atoms of sodium and oxygen react to produce sodium oxide.
Answer
In the dot and cross diagram:
- Two sodium atoms lose their outer electrons to form sodium ions (Na⁺).
- One oxygen atom gains these electrons to form one oxide ion (O²⁻).
The diagram will show:
- Two Na atoms with a + charge and one O atom with a - charge indicating the ionic bond formation.
Step 5
Step 6
Explain why sodium oxide has a high melting point.
Answer
Sodium oxide has a high melting point due to its giant ionic lattice structure. The strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions require a large amount of energy to break, resulting in a high melting point.