When alkali metals are heated in an excess of pure oxygen, they form different major products based — s Block Elements Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Due to the stabilization of larger anions by larger cations (lattice energy effects), small $Li^+$ stabilizes the small oxide ion ($O^{2-}$), $Na^+$ stabilizes the peroxide ion ($O_2^{2-}$), and large $K^+$ (along with Rb and Cs) stabilizes the large superoxide ion ($O_2^-$).