Question

Why do sodium and potassium have similar properties?

A) They have the same atomic number
B) They belong to the same period in the periodic table
C) They have similar electron configurations in the outer shell
D) They share a common isotope

Answer 1

Sodium and potassium have similar properties because they belong to the same group in the periodic table and have the same number of valence electrons.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sodium and potassium have similar properties because they belong to the same group, known as the alkali metals, in the periodic table. Elements in the same group have similar properties because they have the same number of valence electrons. Sodium and potassium both have one valence electron, which makes them highly reactive and prone to losing that electron to form a stable 1+ cation.