Why does the stability of carbonates of alkali metals increase down the group?

All the carbonates in this group undergo thermal decomposition to the metal oxide and carbon dioxide gas. The term “thermal decomposition” describes splitting up a compound by heating it. Down the group, the carbonates require more heating to decompose. The carbonates become more thermally stable down the group.

Why is lithium unstable?

Lithium is a relatively unstable element because its stable isotopes have a very low binding energy level. This means they are not prone to fission, which is breaking down. This is why, lithium is less common in the galaxy than some other elements with a higher atomic weight.

Why lithium carbonate decomposes on heating but sodium carbonate does not?

Lithium-ion is smaller in size so it can polarise the negative carbonate ion, leading to the formation of more stable lithium oxide. therefore, Lithium decomposes at the lower temperature while sodium carbonate decomposes at a higher temperature.

Which alkali metal carbonate is most stable?

BaCO3
BaCO3 is the most stable carbonate of alkaline earth metal carbonates.

Why do Group 2 carbonates become more stable down the group?

The thermal stability increases as you go down Group 2. This is because the Group 2 ion has lower charge density, and thus distorts the carbonate ion less. The less distorted the carbonate ion is, the more stable it is, and so a higher temperature is required to decompose the carbonate.

Are alkali metal carbonates stable?

As the electropositive character increase down the group, the stability of alkali carbonates increases. Hence more thermal energy required for the decomposition of alkali carbonates down the group. Hence, Rb2CO3 have more thermal stability than others.

Is lithium chemical stable?

Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride. The nucleus of the lithium atom verges on instability, since the two stable lithium isotopes found in nature have among the lowest binding energies per nucleon of all stable nuclides.

Is lithium 9 stable or unstable?

Lithium

Mass Number	Half-life	Decay Mode
		Alpha Decay
6	STABLE	–
7	STABLE	–
8	839.9 milliseconds	Beta-minus Decay

Why is lithium carbonate unstable?

Lithium carbonate is not stable to heat as it is covalent in nature. Lithium ions are very small in size and carbonate ions are very large in size. Therefore, the small size lithium ion polarizes large size carbonate ions which forms more stable lithium oxide.

Why is lithium oxide more stable than lithium carbonate?

Thermodynamics stability $ \propto $ Lattice energy. Lattice energy depends upon the charge and size. On increasing the charge of the metal lattice energy increases. So, the thermodynamics stability of lithium oxide will be more than the thermodynamics stability of lithium carbonate.

Which carbonate is more stable?

The stability of the alkaline earth metal carbonates increases as the basic character of their hydroxides increases down the group since Ba(OH)2 is most basic, therefore,BaCO3 is most stable.

Which alkali metal is more stable?

It says, sodium fluoride is most stable among all the sodium halides.

Why is lithium carbonate more stable than lithium oxide?

Lithium ion, being very small in size, polarizes a large carbonate ion, leading to the formation of more stable lithium oxide. As we move down the alkali metal group, the electropositive character increases. This causes an increase in the stability of alkali carbonates. However, lithium carbonate is not so stable to heat.

What is liquidlithium carbonate?

Lithium Carbonate is the carbonate salt of lithium, a soft alkali metal, with antimanic and hematopoietic activities.

Why is Li2CO3 unstable?

Lithium Carbonate is highly unstable because of the fact that Lithium ions , being smaller in size can not stabilise Carbonate anion and lattice enthalpy of the compound is less. Moreover in thermal decomposition of Li2CO3 yields Li2O and CO2.

Why does the thermal stability of carbonates increase down the group?

The thermal stability increases as you go down Group 2. This is because the Group 2 ion has lower charge density, and thus distorts the carbonate ion less. The less distorted the carbonate ion is, the more stable it is, and so a higher temperature is required to decompose the carbonate. Why does the stability of carbonates increase down the group?