Which of the following is not an anomalous property of lithium?

Options

A. Hydrated lithium ion is the largest among alkali metals
B. The melting and boiling points of lithium are comparatively high
C. Lithium is softer than that of other alkali metals
D. The ionisation potential and electronegativity of lithium are higher than those of other alkali metals

Answer

To determine which of the following is not an anomalous property of lithium, we will analyze each option provided in the question.

**Step 1: Understand Anomalous Properties of Lithium**
Lithium exhibits several anomalous properties compared to other alkali metals due to its small size, high ionization energy, and high electronegativity. These properties include:
- Higher melting and boiling points
- Smaller ionic size
- Higher hydration energy
- Greater hardness

**Step 2: Analyze Each Option**
1. **Hydrated Lithium is the largest of all the alkali metals.**
- This statement is true. Lithium ions have a high hydration energy due to their small size, which leads to a larger hydrated radius compared to other alkali metals. Thus, this is an anomalous property.

2. **The melting and boiling points of Lithium are comparatively high.**
- This statement is also true. Lithium has higher melting and boiling points than other alkali metals, which is an anomalous property.

3. **Lithium is softer than other alkali metals.**
- This statement is false. Lithium is actually harder than other alkali metals. Therefore, this is not an anomalous property of lithium.

4. **The ionization potential and electronegativity of Lithium are more than the rest of the alkali metals.**
- This statement is true. Lithium has a higher ionization potential and electronegativity compared to other alkali metals, which is an anomalous property.

**Step 3: Conclusion**
From the analysis, the third statement, "Lithium is softer than other alkali metals," is not an anomalous property of lithium, as it is actually harder than the other alkali metals.

**Final Answer:**
Lithium is not softer than other alkali metals; hence, the statement "Lithium is softer than other alkali metals" is not an anomalous property of lithium.

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