Heating group 1 metals in air and in chlorine

A piece of the Group 1 metal sodium in a petri dish against a neutral background

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Use this demonstration to illustrate the reactions of lithium, sodium and potassium in air and in chlorine. Includes kit list, video and safety instructions.

In this practical, students observe what happens when three group 1 metals are heated in air and in chlorine. The experiment can be used as preparation for demonstrating the reactions of group 1 metals in water, which shows more clearly the trends in reactivity of this group.

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