Determine which element has a density most similar to lithium.
Understanding lithium's density
Lithium is a light metal with a low density of approximately \(0.534 \, \text{g/cm}^3\). It is one of the lightest metals and is located in Group 1 of the periodic table, known as the alkali metals.
Comparing densities of given elements
- Chlorine is a non-metal gas at room temperature, so its density is not directly comparable to metals.
- Lead is a heavy metal with a high density of about \(11.34 \, \text{g/cm}^3\).
- Potassium, like lithium, is an alkali metal with a low density of approximately \(0.862 \, \text{g/cm}^3\).
- Bismuth is a heavy metal with a density of about \(9.78 \, \text{g/cm}^3\).
Potassium, being an alkali metal, has a density most similar to lithium.
\(\boxed{\text{Potassium}}\)
Determine which element has a density least similar to lithium.
Understanding the range of densities
Lithium's density is very low, so elements with significantly higher densities will be least similar.
Comparing densities of given elements
- Chlorine, as a gas, is not directly comparable in terms of density to a solid metal.
- Lead, with a density of \(11.34 \, \text{g/cm}^3\), is much denser than lithium.
- Potassium, as discussed, is similar to lithium.
- Bismuth, with a density of \(9.78 \, \text{g/cm}^3\), is also much denser than lithium.
Lead, having the highest density among the options, is least similar to lithium.
\(\boxed{\text{Lead}}\)
The element with a density most similar to lithium is \(\boxed{\text{Potassium}}\).
The element with a density least similar to lithium is \(\boxed{\text{Lead}}\).
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