What are the Alkali Metals?

What are the Alkali Metals?

The Alkali Metals are the first family of the Periodic Table. They have one electron in their outer orbitals. In a chemical reaction, this outer electron is lost to form an ion with a single positive charge. The term alkali means basic with pH greater than 7 as opposed to acids which are less than 7. When these Metals combine with Non-Metals, the result is a base. Alkali Metals are silver-white, malleable, soft, and soluble in water. An Alkali Metal isolated in nature is rare because it reacts so readily with many Non-Metals especially the Halogens. [LM] {CI}