Which of the following statements does not follow from the fact that the alkali metals have relatively weak metal-metal bonding? (a) The alkali metals are less dense than other metals. (b) The alkali metals are soft enough to be cut with a knife. (c) The alkali metals are more reactive than other metals. (d) The alkali metals have higher melting points than other metals. (e) The alkali metals have low ionization energies.

Alkali metals are elements found in Group 1 of the periodic table. They possess common properties such as being soft, having low densities, and being highly reactive due to weak metal-metal bonding. These metals also have low ionization energies, which means it requires relatively low energy to remove an electron from the outermost shell.

(a) The alkali metals are less dense than other metals. This statement is consistent with the fact that weak metal-metal bonding leads to a less dense crystal structure. (b) The alkali metals are soft enough to be cut with a knife. This statement also follows from weak metal-metal bonding, as the weak bonds allow the metal to be easily deformed. (c) The alkali metals are more reactive than other metals. Weak metal-metal bonding contributes to higher reactivity, as it makes it easier for the atoms to lose an electron and form a chemical bond. (d) The alkali metals have higher melting points than other metals. This statement does not follow from weak metal-metal bonding. Actually, weak bonding would cause alkali metals to have lower melting points than other metals, due to the weak bonds being broken at relatively low temperatures. (e) The alkali metals have low ionization energies. This statement is consistent with weak metal-metal bonding. The weaker the bonding, the less energy is required to remove an electron from the outermost electron shell.

Based on the analysis in Step 2, the correct answer is (d) The alkali metals have higher melting points than other metals. This statement does not follow from the fact that the alkali metals have relatively weak metal-metal bonding.