1. Properties
   1. soft to cut
   2. shiny when cut
      1. quickly tarnish
   3. very low melting points
      1. compared to other metals
   4. very low density
      1. lithium, sodium, potassium
         1. float on water
   5. react very easily
      1. stored in oil
         1. prevent reactions
      2. one electron outer shell
         1. given away
            1. easily
            2. reaction with non-metals
         2. more electrons
            1. more energy to start reactuion
            2. group 2 less reactive
         3. more reactive down group
            1. outer electron further from nucleus
            2. more easily lost
2. Reactions
   1. air
      1. burn
         1. lithium
            1. red
            2. 4Li(s) + O2 (g) --->2LiO (s)
         2. sodium
            1. orange/yellow
            2. 4Na (s) + O2 (g) ---> 2Na2O (s)
         3. potassium
            1. lilac
            2. 4K (s) + O2 (g) ---> 2K2O (s)
         4. white solid oxide formed
   2. water
      1. vigorous
      2. float on surface
      3. move around rapidly
      4. heat of reaction
         1. melts metal
         2. forms sphere
      5. hydrogen given off
         1. more reactive burns
            1. potassium
      6. end solution
         1. alkaline
      7. lithium + water ---> lithium hydroxide + hydrogen
      8. 2Li (s) + 2H2O (l) ---> 2LiOH (aq) + H2 (g)
         1. same equation all other elements
      9. sodium + water ---> sodium hydroxide + hydrogen
      10. potassium + water ---> potassium hydroxide + hydrogen
   3. chlorine
      1. burn easily
      2. white solid formed
      3. Lithium + Chlorine ---> lithium chloride
      4. 2Li (s) + Cl2(g) ---> 2LiCl (s)
         1. same equation all elements
      5. sodium + chlorine ---> sodium chloride
      6. potassium + chlorine ---> potassium chloride
3. Thermal Decomposition
   1. group 1 nitrates
      1. Lithium Nitrate
         1. 3 products
            1. unusual
            2. 4LiNO3 (s) ---> 2Li2O(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g)
            3. Lithium Nitrate ---> Lithium Oxide + Nitrogen dioxide + Oxygen
      2. Other NItrates
         1. 2 products
            1. nitrite + oxygen
            2. 2NaNO3 (s) ---> 2NaNO2 (s) + O2 (g)
      3. Carbonate
         1. Lithium carbonate
            1. only one to decompose
            2. Li2CO3 (s) ---> Li2O (s) + CO2 (g)
         2. all other carbonates
            1. stable in Bunsen flame
4. Compounds
   1. colourless crystals
   2. ionic bonds
      1. soluble in water
      2. sodium chloride NaCl
      3. potassium nitrate KNO3
   3. uses
      1. lithium carbonate
         1. light sensitive lenses for glasses
      2. lithium hydroxide
         1. removes carbon dioxide in air conditioning systems
      3. sodium chloride
         1. table salt
      4. sodium carbonate
         1. water softener
      5. sodium hydroxide
         1. paper manufacture
      6. monosodium glutamate
         1. flavour enhancer
      7. sodium sulphite
         1. preservative
      8. potassium nitrate
         1. fertiliser
         2. explosives