| Reactions of Lithium |
 Reactions with water |
| Lithium metals reacts slowly with water to form a colourless solution of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and hydrogen gas, H2. The resulting solution is basic because of the dissolved hydroxide. The reaction is exothermic, but the reaction is slower than that of sodium.
|
2Li(s) + H2O 2LiOH(aq) + H2(g) |
| Reactions with air |
| When lithium is burned in air, the main product is the white oxide lithium oxide, Li2O. Some lithium peroxide, Li2O2, also white, is also produced.
|
| 4Li(s) + O2(g)2Li2O(s) |
| 2Li(s) + O2(g)2Li2O2(s) |
| Lithium reacts with nitrogen, N2, to form lithium nitride, Li3N. No other Gruop 1 element does anything similar, but the group 2 metal magnesium forms a similar nitride.
|
| 6Li(s) + N2(g)2Li3N(s) |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Lithium metal reacts vigorously with all the halogens to form lithium halides.
|
| 2Li(s) + F2(g)LiF(s) |
| 2Li(s) + Cl2(g)LiCl(s) |
| 2Li(s) + Br2(g)LiBr(s) |
| 2Li(s) + I2(g)LiI(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| Lithium metal dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the aquated Li(I) ion together with hydrogen gas, H2.
|
| 2Li(s) + H2SO4(aq)2Li+(aq) + SO42-(aq) + H2(g) |
| Reactions with bases |
| Lithium metals reacts slowly with water to form a colourless solution of basic lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and hydrogen gas (H2). The reaction continues even when the solution becomes basic. The resulting solution is basic because of the dissolved hydroxide.
The reaction is exothermic, but the reaction is slower than that of sodium. As the reaction continues, the concentration of
the hydroxide increases.
|
| 2Li(s) + 2H2O2LiOH(aq) + H2(g) |
| |
Li(s)