Question

Do alkali metals react with water?

Answer 1

Alkali metals are a collective term used for the first group of the periodic table. They get their name from the ability of these metals to react with water and produce alkalies. Usually, alkalies are the hydroxides of the alkali metals like hydrogen hydroxide (water), sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, rubidium hydroxide, francium hydroxide, cesium hydroxide.

Complete answer: Alkali metals react with water and by the law of nature that dissolve thus making it soluble like water. They are highly reactive and the affinity towards water increases down the group.
Alkali metals in reaction with water produce energy, hydrogen gas and metal hydroxide. Like,
Hydrogen on reaction with water produces hydronium ion $H + {H_2}O \to {H_3}{O^ + }$ or Hydrogen on reaction with water produces hydrogen gas and hydroxide ion $H + {H_2}O \to {H_2} + O{H^ - }$ .
Lithium on reaction with water produces lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $Li + {H_2}O \to LiOH + {H_2}$
Sodium on reaction with water produces sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $Na + {H_2}O \to NaOH + {H_2}$
Potassium on reaction with water produces potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $K + {H_2}O \to KOH + {H_2}$
Rubidium on reaction with water produces rubidium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $Rb + {H_2}O \to RbOH + {H_2}$
Cesium on reaction with water produces cesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $Cs + {H_2}O \to CsOH + {H_2}$
Francium on reaction with water produces francium hydroxide and hydrogen gas $Fr + {H_2}O \to FrOH + {H_2}$

Note:
Alkali metals are the metals having one electron in their valence shell. They have one extra electron from the nearest noble gas configuration except hydrogen which on removal of only electrons will have zero electrons in total, thus hydrogen is the only alkali metal which requires one extra electron to get the nearest noble gas configuration of helium.