Alkali metals | Coinage metals |
| (1) Electronic structures are different although they have s1 electron in the outermost level. Li (3) 2s1, Na (11) 3s1, K (19) 4s1, Pb (37) 5s1, Cs (55) 6s1, Fr (87) 7s1 | (1) Electronic structures are different although they have s1 electron in the outermost level. Cu (29) 3d104s1, Ag (47) 4d105s1, Au (79) 5d106s1 |
| (2) most reactive elements, | (2) unreactive and difficult to oxidize |
| (3) never occur in nature in free state, | (3) found abundantly in free state |
| (4) have only one oxidation state, +1 | (4) have +1, +2 and +3 oxidation state |
| (5) melting points range 1800C(Li) → 2840C(Cs), | (5) near about 10000C |
| (6) form strong bases because of small charge (+) and large sizes, | (6) do not give strongly basic oxides or hydroxides |
| (7) can not be handled easily and are kept in kerosene. | (7) can be worked and used as metals because these are heavy, ductile and malleable |
| (8) most of them are soluble in water, | (8) are not soluble in water |
| (9) colourless, | (9) coloured |
| (10) are recent discovery and their uses are only scientific and technical, | (10) used by primitive men for ornaments and for coinage purposes. |
