Alkali metals occupy which column of the periodic table?

• A. Column 1
• B. Column 2
• C. Column 3
• D. Column 17

Answer: (A)

Alkali metals occupy the first column because they all have one valence electron in their outermost shell, giving them a +1 oxidation state and placing them in the s-block of the periodic table. This single valence electron determines their position in the leftmost column, where elements share the ns1 electron configuration. The other columns correspond to different families—alkaline earth metals have two valence electrons and sit in the next column, halogens have seven, and the noble gases sit in the far-right column. So the correct placement is the first column.