What is the most reactive element on this table?

Question

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3931/periodtablejr8.png

Answer 1

Lithium

Answer 2

The answer to this is actually rubidium.

Reactivity, in general terms, follows along with electronegativity. Electronegativity is the tendency for an atom to want to gain an electron. This depends a lot on the strength of the nucleus and the amount of interference raised by intervening electrons. The most electronegative element is fluorine - fluorine is so reactive that no chemical substance is capable of freeing it from any of its naturally occurring compounds! Of course, the portion of the chart you have is nowhere near fluorine.

Now, if you like, you can also think of electronegativity in reverse. This is called electropositivity - the tendency of an atom to LOSE an electron. And just as fluorine is very reactive because it wants to gain an electron so badly, francium is very reactive because it wants to lose one so badly too. In electropositive elements, it is the effect of electrons which dominate.

And now we're cooking with gas, because you DO have this part of the periodic table. Your section doesn't go all the way down to francium... the closest one is rubidium. Rubidium is way more reactive than lithium simply because it has so many more electrons that block the effects of the nucleus and repel each other!

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Rubidium (Rb)
As you go down the alkali metal group, the atoms get larger and it's easier for the atom to become a cation. Cesium is not present in your table; it's even more reactive.

Answer 4

The ones in the first coloumn I think because they only have 1 valence electron

Answer 5

Lithium DO NOT PLACE IN YOUR MOUTH