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1.3.1Comparison with Group 1 elements

AQA GCSE Chemistry (8462), Higher tier · Atomic structure and the periodic table › Properties of transition metals

Practise Comparison with Group 1 elements. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.

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Iron reacts with chlorine only when it is heated. The product is iron(III) chloride, FeCl3.
Balance the equation.
....Fe + ....Cl2 → ....FeCl3
2Fe + 3Cl2 → 2FeCl3

Sample questions

Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.

Question 1Easy2 marks
Iron and nickel are transition metals. Sodium and potassium are Group 1 metals.
(a) Which property is typical of transition metals but not of Group 1 metals?
Tick (✓) one box.[1]
  • High melting point
  • Low density
  • Soft enough to cut with a knife
  • Reacts vigorously with cold water
(b) Which metal reacts most vigorously with cold water?
Tick (✓) one box.[1]
  • Iron
  • Nickel
  • Copper
  • Potassium
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: High melting point
(b) Answer: Potassium
Question 2Medium6 marks
Iron and nickel are transition metals. Sodium and potassium are Group 1 metals.
(a) Describe how the reaction of potassium with cold water is different from the reaction of nickel with cold water.[2]
(b) Iron reacts with chlorine only when it is heated. The product is iron(III) chloride, FeCl3.
Balance the equation.
....Fe + ....Cl2 → ....FeCl3[1]
(c) Sodium reacts with chlorine without being heated.
What does this suggest about the reactivity of iron compared with sodium?[1]
(d) Explain why iron is used to build bridges but sodium is not.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a) Answer: Potassium reacts vigorously (fizzes, melts, burns with a lilac flame); nickel shows no visible reaction.
  • potassium reacts vigorously / fizzes / melts / burns (with a lilac flame)
  • nickel does not react / shows no visible reaction
(b) Answer: 2Fe + 3Cl2 → 2FeCl3
  • 2Fe + 3Cl2 → 2FeCl3
(c) Answer: Iron is less reactive than sodium.
  • iron is less reactive (than sodium)
(d) Answer: Iron is strong and hard and does not react quickly with water or oxygen; sodium is soft and reacts vigorously with water.
  • iron is strong / hard
  • iron has a high melting point
  • iron does not react quickly with water / oxygen
  • sodium is soft / reacts (vigorously) with water / oxygen
Question 3Hard3 marks
Iron melts at 1538 °C. Sodium melts at 98 °C.
In solid iron, each atom contributes two or three electrons to the delocalised electrons. In solid sodium, each atom contributes one electron.
Use this information and your knowledge of metallic bonding to explain why iron has a much higher melting point than sodium.[3]
Show the answer and mark scheme
Answer: Iron has more delocalised electrons per atom and more highly charged positive ions, so the electrostatic attraction between the ions and the delocalised electrons is stronger; more energy is needed to overcome it.
  • iron has more delocalised electrons per atom / iron ions have a higher charge (2+ or 3+ compared with 1+)
  • so there is a stronger electrostatic attraction between the positive ions and the delocalised electrons (stronger metallic bonding)
  • so more energy is needed to overcome the metallic bonding when iron melts

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