Final answer:
Alkali metals including lithium, sodium, and potassium are used in greases, batteries, mood-stabilizing drugs, salt production, metal production, fertilizers, and medical treatments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Uses of Alkali Metals
The alkali metals, which include lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr), have several uses:
- Lithium is used in greases to improve viscosity, in batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries for electronics and electric vehicles, and as drugs to treat bipolar disorder.
- Sodium is prominently found in table salt (sodium chloride) that is used in cooking and food preservation. It is also used in the production of metals like titanium and zirconium through a process that relies on sodium's reducing properties.
- Potassium compounds are frequently used in fertilizers due to their significance for plant growth. It is also employed in the medical field for the treatment of certain health conditions.
While rubidium, cesium, and francium are less common and have more specialized uses or are too unstable for practical applications, sodium and potassium are abundant and integral to various industries.