Solid bicarbonates () are characteristic of group 1 elements, but one alkali metal fails to form a s — s Block Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Lithium hydrogen carbonate ($LiHCO_3$) exists only in aqueous solution and cannot be isolated in the solid state. This is because the exceptionally small $Li^+$ ion exerts a very high polarizing effect on the large $HCO_3^-$ ion, making the solid lattice unstable.