Basic Chemistry

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ivided into families depending on their physical and chemical properties. These families are grouped on the periodic table according to horizontal rows with preceding roman numerals. The first family contains only one element, hydrogen. Because hydrogen, the simplest atom has only one atom, it can act like both Alkali metals (which have one outer electron) or like noble gasses (which have full energy levels.) Hydrogen is a diatomic element, meaning that its atoms exist in pairs. Hydrogen can react with: oxygen (to form water), alkali metals (to form acids) and active metals (to form metallic hydrides). Practically hydrogen has been used as rocket fuel for decades and more recently as hybrid car fuels.

The next family, alkali metals, is extremely chemically reactive. In fact they are the most reactive of all the metals rarely existing alone in nature. They are excellent conductors of electricity (sodium and potassium) are used carry electricity even in the human body. The alkali earth metals Group IIA are like alkali metals, except f...