S-Block Elements:

.

The s-block of the periodic table elements consists of the first two groups i.e. group-1 and group-2, plus the hydrogen. All the s-block elements are metals. The group-1 elements are also called as alkali metals and the group-2 metals are called as alkaline earth metals. These s-block elements are distinguished by the property that in the atomic ground state, the highest energy electron is an s-orbital.

We'll first know all the elements individually. Starting with group-1, the elements in this group are Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Cesium (Cs) and Francium (Fr). The group-2 elements are Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba) and Radium (Ra).

These both groups i.e. group1 and group2 have considerable similarities. They both contain highly reactive metals of unusually low density. These elements are highly reactive and is hence very difficult to find them uncombined and are normally extracted from their compounds by electrolysis. These elements are all good reducing agents. They almost invariably form ionic compounds. Alkali and Alkaline earth metals are the most violently active of all the metals.

We can study all about the s-block elements in different steps i.e. according to their properties both chemical and physical and their variation, their uses and so on. The main steps we consider here are as follows.

1. Characteristic properties of the s-block elements.
2. Variation in properties of the s-block elements.
3. Variation in properties of the s-block elements.
4. Uses of compounds of the s-block elements.

There exists a diagonal relationship between the group-1 element Li group-2 element Mg. A relationship within the periodic table by which certain elements in the second period have a close chemical similarity to their diagonal neighbors in the next group of the third period is called as "Diagonal Relationship".
Some of the similarities between Lithium and Magnesium are as follows :

1. Both form chlorides and bromides that hydrolyze slowly and are soluble in ethanol.
2. Both form colourless or slightly coloured crystalline nitrides by direct reaction with nitrogen at high temperatures.
3. Both burns in air to give the normal oxide only.
4. Both form carbonates that decompose on heating.

.