Which of the following statement regarding the oxides of alkali and alkaline metals is correct? — s Block Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Check the statements: LiNO3 decomposes to Li2O, NO2, and O2 (b is correct); lithium imparts a crimson/carmine red color to the flame (c is correct); Li+ is too small to coordinate inside the octahedral sites of an alum lattice, so Li2SO4 cannot form alums (d is correct). Step 2: In NaHCO3, hydrogen bonding forms infinite polymeric chains. In KHCO3, the bicarbonate ions form discrete dimeric (HCO3-)2 anions held together by hydrogen bonds. Step 3: Because of these different hydrogen-bonding networks, NaHCO3 and KHCO3 do not have the same crystal structure. Therefore, statement (a) is incorrect.