What are the products of the reaction between a Group 1 metal and water?

The reaction between a Group 1 metal and water produces hydrogen gas and a metal hydroxide.

When a Group 1 metal, such as sodium or potassium, comes into contact with water, it reacts vigorously. The metal displaces hydrogen from the water, which results in the formation of hydrogen gas. This can be observed as bubbling or fizzing during the reaction. The part of water that remains, combined with the Group 1 metal, forms a metal hydroxide. For example, if sodium reacts with water, the products are sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

This reaction is characteristic of alkali metals from Group 1, which readily react with water, illustrating their metallic nature and reactivity. The resulting metal hydroxides are typically strong bases, and the overall process exemplifies the typical behavior of these metals in chemical reactions.