The alkali metals remarks about their general chemical properties and reactivity

3 The alkali metals remarks about their general chemical properties and reactivity 

All the alkali metals are extremely reactive chemically. Both for safety reasons and for protection from heavy contamination they should be handled with care, under an inert atmosphere or protective media. 

With hydrogen, the alkali metals form the mono-hydrides MeH, having salt-like properties and a partially ionic, Me H, NaCl-type structure. They are colourless crystalline solids having a fairly negative AH of formation. The mono-hydrides react with water. They may be prepared from hydrogen and the metal (heated at 700-800°C for Li, 350-400°C for the others) or through the reaction of hydrogen with the alkali mono-oxide, nitride, etc. 

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