Which of the following s-block elements has the highest melting point?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following s-block elements has the highest melting point?
Lithium
Sodium
Potassium
Rubidium
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following s-block elements has the highest melting point?
Correct Answer: Lithium
Step 1: Understand that s-block elements include alkali metals (Group 1) and alkaline earth metals (Group 2).
Step 2: Identify the alkali metals: Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Cesium (Cs), and Francium (Fr).
Step 3: Recognize that melting points of metals generally decrease as you move down a group in the periodic table.
Step 4: Compare the melting points of the alkali metals: Lithium has a melting point of 180.5 °C, Sodium 97.8 °C, Potassium 63.5 °C, Rubidium 39.3 °C, Cesium 28.5 °C, and Francium is not well-defined but is expected to be lower.
Step 5: Conclude that Lithium has the highest melting point among the alkali metals due to its small atomic size, which leads to stronger metallic bonding.