Asked by tylen

Elements are organized on the periodic table based on their properties. Which statement correctly predicts and explains the chemical reactivity of two metals?

a.Rubidium (Rb) is more reactive than strontium (Sr) because strontium atoms must lose more electrons.
b.Sodium (Na) is more reactive than magnesium (Mg) because sodium atoms must gain more electrons.
c.Calcium (Ca) is less reactive than potassium (K) because potassium atoms must lose more electrons.
d.Beryllium (Be) is less reactive than lithium (Li) because beryllium atoms must gain more electrons.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Answer: a.

Rubidium (Rb) is more reactive than strontium (Sr) because Rb is an alkali metal (group 1) and readily loses one valence electron, while Sr is an alkaline‑earth metal (group 2) and must lose two electrons to reach a stable configuration. Easier loss of the fewer electrons (lower effective ionization energy) makes Rb more reactive.