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Chapter 21: Problem 71

To prevent the formation of oxides, peroxides, and superoxides, alkali metals are sometimes stored in an inert atmosphere. Which of the following gases should not be used for lithium: \(\mathrm{Ne}, \mathrm{Ar}, \mathrm{N}_{2}, \mathrm{Kr} ?\) Explain why.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The gas that should not be used for storing lithium is Nitrogen (N2).

Step by step solution

01

Reactivity of Lithium

Lithium, like other alkali metals, reacts easily with other elements, particularly oxygen. Thus, it's usually stored in an inert atmosphere to avoid forming undesirable compounds.
02

Properties of Inert gases

Inert gases are the noble gases, they are chemically unreactive. Neon, Argon, and Krypton are noble gases, they do not form compounds easily.
03

Understanding Nitrogen gas

Nitrogen (N2), though it is not a noble gas, it is also relatively unreactive under normal conditions due to the strong triple bond between its atoms. However, under intense conditions (high pressure and temperature), it can react with certain metals, including lithium, to form nitrides.
04

Identify the gas

Considering the properties of these gases and the reactivity of lithium, the gas that should not be used for storing lithium is Nitrogen (N2) because it can react with lithium under certain conditions to form lithium nitride unlike the noble gases.

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