A student is given information about three unknown elements, W, X and Y. These letters are not the chemical symbols of the elements.
| Element | Appearance at room temperature | Melting point / °C | Electronic configuration | Reaction with water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | soft, shiny, silvery solid | 98 | 2.8.1 | fizzes rapidly |
| X | pale yellow-green gas | −101 | 2.8.7 | dissolves to form an acidic solution |
| Y | colourless gas | −189 | 2.8.8 | no reaction |
Give the group number of each element.
Explain, using its electronic configuration, why element Y is unreactive.
Element Z has the electronic configuration 2.8.8.1. State the group and the period of element Z.
Predict how the reaction of element Z with water compares with the reaction of element W with water.
41 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 7.1 Group 1, covering 7.1.1 Classifying elements by group in the periodic table and 7.1.2 Properties and reactions of the alkali metals. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.