Question:
Which of the alkali metal is having least melting point?
(a) Na
(b) K
(c) Rb
(d) Cs
Solution:
Atomic size increases as we move down the alkali group. As a result, the binding energies of their atoms in the crystal lattice decrease. Also, the strength of metallic bonds decreases on moving down a group in the periodic table. This causes a decrease in the melting point. Among the given metals, Cs is the largest and has the least melting point.