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Oxidation & Electrons | Appearance & Characteristics Reactions | Compounds | Radius | Conductivity Abundance & Isotopes 
A lithium battery powers an electronic device. |
General:
| Name: Lithium | Symbol: Li |
| Type: Alkali Metal | Atomic weight: 6.941 |
| Density @ 293 K: 0.53 g/cm3 | Atomic volume: 13.10 cm3/mol |
| Discovered: Lithium was discovered by Johan A. Arfvedson in 1817 during an analysis of petalite ore. Its name is derived from the Greek word 'lithos' meaning 'stone'. | |
States
| State (s, l, g): solid | |
| Melting point: 453.69 K (108.54 oC) | Boiling point: 1615 K (1347 oC) |
Energies
| Specific heat capacity: 3.58 J g-1 K-1 | Heat of atomization: 159 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of fusion: 3.00 kJ mol-1 | Heat of vaporization (sublimation): 147.1 kJ mol-1 |
| 1st ionization energy: 520.2 kJ mol-1 | 2nd ionization energy: 7298.1 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd ionization energy: 1185.0 kJ mol-1 | Electron affinity: 59.63 kJ mol-1 |
Oxidation & Electrons
| Shells: 2,1 | Electron configuration: [He] 2s1 |
| Minimum oxidation number: -1 | Maximum oxidation number: 1 |
| Min. common oxidation no.: 0 | Max. common oxidation no.: 1 |
| Electronegativity (Pauling Scale): 0.98 | Polarizability volume: 24.3 Å3 |
Appearance & Characteristics
| Structure: bcc: body-centered cubic | Color: silvery |
| Harmful effects: Lithium is corrosive, causing skin burns as a result of the caustic hydroxide produced in contact with moisture. | Hardness: 0.6 mohs |
| Characteristics: Lithium is soft and silvery white and it is the least dense of the metals. Freshly cut surfaces oxidize rapidly in air to form a black oxide coating. Lithium is highly reactive and does not occur freely in nature. It is the only metal that reacts with nitrogen at room temperature. When placed over a flame, lithium gives off a beautiful crimson color, but when the metal burns strongly, the flame becomes a dazzling white. Lithium has a high specific heat capacity and it exists as a liquid over a wide temperature range. | |
| Uses: Lithium is used in rechargeable lithium ion batteries. The metal is used as an alloy with aluminum, copper, manganese, and cadmium to make high performance aircraft parts. Lithium also has various nuclear applications. Lithium salts are used in mood-stabilizing drugs. Lithium chloride and bromide are used as desiccants. Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature lubricant. | |
Reactions
| Reaction with air: vigorous,⇒ Li2O | Reaction with 6 M HCl: vigorous,⇒ H2, LiCl |
| Reaction with 15 M HNO3: vigorous,⇒ LiNO3 | Reaction with 6 M NaOH: mild, ⇒ H2, LiOH |
Compounds
| Oxide(s): Li2O | Chloride(s): LiCl |
| Hydride(s): LiH |
Radius
| Atomic radius: 145 pm | Ionic radius (1+ ion): 90 pm |
| Ionic radius (2+ ion): pm | Ionic radius (3+ ion): pm |
| Ionic radius (2- ion): pm | Ionic radius (1- ion): pm |
Conductivity
| Thermal conductivity: 84.8 W m-1 K-1 | Electrical conductivity: 11.7 x 106 S cm-1 |
Abundance & Isotopes
| Abundance earth's crust: 17 ppm by weight, 50 ppm by moles | |
| Abundance solar system: 60 parts per trillion by weight, 10 parts per trillion by moles | |
| Cost, pure: 27 $/100g | |
| Cost, bulk: 9.50 $/100g | |
| Source: Lithium does not occur as a free element in nature. It is found in small amounts in ores from igneous rocks and in salts from mineral springs. Pure lithium metal is produced by electrolysis from a mixture of fused (molten) lithium chloride and potassium chloride. | |
| Isotopes: Lithium has 7 isotopes whose half-lives are known, with mass numbers 5 to 11. Of these, two are stable: 6Li and 7Li. | |
