
Alkali metal acts as strong reducing agents explain.
Answer
521.7k+ views
Hint: Reducing agent is an element or compound which loses an electron to an electron recipient in a redox chemical reaction. A reducing agent thus gets oxidized. The reducing agents "reduce" the oxidizing agents. For an element to be a strong reducing agent it should be able to get oxidised easily which means it should lose an electron very easily.
Complete answer:
Alkali metals belong to group 1 of the periodic table.
Reducing agents are those compounds or elements which can reduce others and get oxidized themselves.
Alkali Metals act as strong reducing agents, this is because alkali metals have only one valence electron in their valence shell which they can easily lose and attain nearest noble gas configuration and become more stable than they were earlier. Thus they lose an electron and oxidize themselves while reducing others, hence they are called reducing agents.
This makes them a strong reducing agent.Their general outermost electronic configuration is \[n{{s}^{1}}\]. This means that they have only one electron in the outermost shell.So they can very easily lose this electron to other electron-accepting species.In this way, they themselves get oxidised then and hence act as a reducing agent. Consider the reaction:
\[2Na+C{{l}_{2}}\to 2NaCl\]
Here, the \[Na\] metal is getting oxidised and\[Cl\] is getting reduced. \[Na\] metal loses one electron and forms\[N{{a}^{+}}\] and \[Cl\]accepts one electron forming .\[C{{l}^{-}}\] Thus, here \[Na\] metal itself gets oxidised and \[Cl\]reduces the atom. Hence, \[Na\] metal acts as a strong reducing agent.
Note: Group 1 metals in the Modern / long-form periodic tables are called Alkali Metals.
All the alkali metals are mentioned below:
Lithium \[\left[ Li \right]\]
Sodium \[\left[ Na \right]\]
Potassium \[\left[ k \right]\]
Rubidium \[\left[ Rb \right]\]
Caesium \[\left[ Cs \right]\]
Francium \[\left[ Fr \right]\]
Complete answer:
Alkali metals belong to group 1 of the periodic table.
Reducing agents are those compounds or elements which can reduce others and get oxidized themselves.
Alkali Metals act as strong reducing agents, this is because alkali metals have only one valence electron in their valence shell which they can easily lose and attain nearest noble gas configuration and become more stable than they were earlier. Thus they lose an electron and oxidize themselves while reducing others, hence they are called reducing agents.
This makes them a strong reducing agent.Their general outermost electronic configuration is \[n{{s}^{1}}\]. This means that they have only one electron in the outermost shell.So they can very easily lose this electron to other electron-accepting species.In this way, they themselves get oxidised then and hence act as a reducing agent. Consider the reaction:
\[2Na+C{{l}_{2}}\to 2NaCl\]
Here, the \[Na\] metal is getting oxidised and\[Cl\] is getting reduced. \[Na\] metal loses one electron and forms\[N{{a}^{+}}\] and \[Cl\]accepts one electron forming .\[C{{l}^{-}}\] Thus, here \[Na\] metal itself gets oxidised and \[Cl\]reduces the atom. Hence, \[Na\] metal acts as a strong reducing agent.
Note: Group 1 metals in the Modern / long-form periodic tables are called Alkali Metals.
All the alkali metals are mentioned below:
Lithium \[\left[ Li \right]\]
Sodium \[\left[ Na \right]\]
Potassium \[\left[ k \right]\]
Rubidium \[\left[ Rb \right]\]
Caesium \[\left[ Cs \right]\]
Francium \[\left[ Fr \right]\]
Recently Updated Pages
Power set of empty set has exactly subset class 11 maths CBSE

While covering a distance of 30km Ajeet takes 2 ho-class-11-maths-CBSE

Sanjeevani booti brought about by Lord Hanuman to cure class 11 biology CBSE

A police jeep on patrol duty on a national highway class 11 physics CBSE

Master Class 11 Economics: Engaging Questions & Answers for Success

Master Class 11 English: Engaging Questions & Answers for Success

Trending doubts
1 ton equals to A 100 kg B 1000 kg C 10 kg D 10000 class 11 physics CBSE

Difference Between Prokaryotic Cells and Eukaryotic Cells

One Metric ton is equal to kg A 10000 B 1000 C 100 class 11 physics CBSE

How much is 23 kg in pounds class 11 chemistry CBSE

1 Quintal is equal to a 110 kg b 10 kg c 100kg d 1000 class 11 physics CBSE

Whales are warmblooded animals which live in cold seas class 11 biology CBSE
