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Lithium exhibits diagonal similarily with magnesium. Some of the common characteristics between Li
and Mg are listed below :
1. Atomic radius of lithium (1·34 Å) and magnesium (1·364 Å) are nearly similar.
2. The radii of Li+ ion (0·76 Å) and Mg2+ (0·72 Å) are quite close to each other.
3. Polarising powers of Li+ ion and Mg2+ ion are about the same magnitude.
4. The electronegativities of Li and Mg being 1·0 and 1·2 respectively are not much different from
each other.
5. Like magnesium, lithium hardly reacts with liquid bromine.
6. Like magnesium, lithium decomposes water only slowly liberating hydrogen.
7. Both lithium and magnesium form nitrides on heating with nitrogen.
Δ
6 Li + N2 ⎯→ 2 Li3N
Δ
3 Mg + N2 ⎯→ Mg3N2.
8. Both lithium and magnesium form normal oxide (rather than peroxide) on burning in oxygen.
4 Li + O2 ⎯→ 2 Li2O
2 Mg + O2 ⎯→ 2 MgO
9. Lithium nitrate, like magnesium nitrate, evolves nitrogen dioxide and oxygen on heating leaving
behind the oxide.
Δ
4 LiNO3 ⎯→ 2 Li2O + 4 NO2 + O2
Δ
2 Mg(NO3)2 ⎯→ 2 MgO + 4 NO2 + O2
10. The chlorides of both lithium and magnesium undergo hydrolysis in hot water.
11. Lithium chloride, like magnesium chloride, is deliquescent.
12. The carbonates, phosphates, fluorides and oxalates of lithium and magnesium are sparingly soluble
in water.
13. Lithium hydroxide, like magnesium hydroxide, is a weak base.
14. Lithium and magnesium carbonates decompose on heating to give oxides :
Δ
Li2CO3 ⎯→ Li2O + CO2 ↑
Δ
MgCO3 ⎯→ MgO + CO2 ↑
It is important to note that carbonates of other alkali metals do not decompose on heating.
15. Lithium and magnesium hydroxides decompose on heating to give oxides.
Δ
2 LiOH ⎯→ Li2O + H2O
Δ
Mg(OH)2 ⎯→ MgO + H2O
Hydroxides of other alkali metals, however, are stable to heat.
Diagonal relationship of beryllium and aluminium. Beryllium and aluminium also show diagonal
relationship. Here the sizes are not close (Be2+ = 0·45 Å and Al3+ = 0·535 Å), but the charge per unit area is
similar (Be+ = 2·36 and Al3+ = 2·50) because the charges on beryllium and aluminium are 2+ and 3+
respectively.
(ionic charge)
Charge per unit area =
4
. π .( ionic radius) 2
3