Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: james harrington on 21/04/2009 00:30:02

Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: james harrington on 21/04/2009 00:30:02: james harrington asked the Naked Scientists:

Dear Dr. Chris,

I'm a GCSE chemistry student (taking it through to AS and A level) and i've always been puzzled why hydrogen is in group 1 of the periodic table (with the alkali metals). I asked my teacher if hydrogen is a metal and he gave me a straight no. I did some research and found a few science magazine articles. They said that under extreme pressure hydrogen changes state, from a gas, to liquid, to a solid and then under further they've found it becomes a black solid. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12316713.900-science-hydrogen-becomes-a-metal-under-pressure-.html

The article was written in 1989, which i feel the extra research which needed to be done will have been done by now.

Another article from 2002 said that René LeToullec was doing research at a much higher pressure (one where they think hydrogen will become a metal).

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/5307

I was just wondering if you have any knowledge of if they've found if hydrogen can become a metal? and if once the pressure is released would it stay a metal.

James

What do you think?
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Ethos on 21/04/2009 01:45:27: Quote from: james harrington on 21/04/2009 00:30:02
james harrington asked the Naked Scientists:

Dear Dr. Chris,

I'm a GCSE chemistry student (taking it through to AS and A level) and i've always been puzzled why hydrogen is in group 1 of the periodic table (with the alkali metals). I asked my teacher if hydrogen is a metal and he gave me a straight no.

Hydrogen has one electron in it's outer shell as do Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, and this qualifies it as an Alkali metal. Because this lone electron is easily shared with other elements, that fact determines the category to which it belongs.
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 01:51:39: I've seen many periodic tables where hydrogen is actually separated from the group 1 elements.
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Ethos on 21/04/2009 01:54:42: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 01:51:39
I've seen many periodic tables where hydrogen is actually separated from the group 1 elements.
Very true Chem4me,......It's all a matter of interpretation.
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 01:57:39: They could have just as easily chucked it into group 17 eh?
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Ethos on 21/04/2009 02:04:28: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 01:57:39
They could have just as easily chucked it into group 17 eh?
Which one might that be? Group 17...........I'm not familiar with that one. But then again, I'm not a chemist.
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 02:06:59: The one with fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine.
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Ethos on 21/04/2009 02:11:24: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 02:06:59
The one with fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine.
Ahh yes, the Halogens. But that last one "astatine" radioative I believe.........?
Title: Why is Hydrogen in group 1?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 21/04/2009 02:15:05: Afraid I can't tell you much about it, just this little bit (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=11612.msg223581#msg223581). [:I]