alkali metal

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of the group of univalent metals including potassium, sodium, lithium, rubidium, cesium, and francium, whose hydroxides are alkalis.

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alkali metal British  

noun

1. any of the monovalent metals lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium, belonging to group 1A of the periodic table. They are all very reactive and electropositive

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alkali metal Scientific  

1. Any of a group of soft metallic elements that form alkali solutions when they combine with water. They include lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium. Except for cesium, which has a gold sheen, alkali metals are white. The alkali metals have one electron in their outer shell, and therefore react easily with other elements and are found in nature only in compounds.

2. See Periodic Table

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Etymology

Origin of alkali metal

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Using the proposed method, larger alkali metal ions such as cesium could be incorporated into the perovskite structure, leading to ferroelectrics with desirable dielectric properties.

From Science Daily

Characterized by its vast mirror-like surfaces and dry atmosphere, the flat hides beneath it a precious alkali metal that powers much of the modern world.

From National Geographic

Initial calculations indicated that they could contain more than 280,000 tonnes of lithium, a silver-white alkali metal – enough for 10 years’ production.

From The Guardian

One is that no photoredox catalyst provides a reductant comparable in strength to that of alkali metals such as lithium and sodium.

From Nature

Lithium, sodium and potassium, which nicely align in the table’s first vertical column — Group One, the alkali metals, with rubidium, cesium, and francium — all have one electron in their outer electron shell.

From New York Times