Oxygen is more electronegative than lithium, a metal. Oxygen has a tendency to gain two electrons so it will bond with two lithium atoms which have a tendency to donate one valence electron for bonding.
When elements react, their atoms join with other atoms to form compounds [compound: A compound is a substance formed by the chemical union (involving bond formation) of two or more elements. ] . Chemical bonds form when this happens, which involves atoms transferring or sharing electrons. New substances are formed by chemical reactions. When elements react together to form compounds their atoms join to other atoms using chemical bonds. For example, iron and sulfur react together to form a compound called iron sulfide. Mixture of iron (grey) and sulfur (yellow) powders. This page mainly looks at the reactions of the Group 1 elements (lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and caesium) with oxygen-including the simple reactions of the various kinds of oxides formed. It also deals very briefly with the reactions of the elements with chlorine. The Reactions with Air or Oxygen.  Reactions of group 1 elements with oxygen. Lithium, sodium and potassium are easily cut with a blade. The freshly cut surfaces are silvery and shiny, but quickly turn dull as the metal reacts with oxygen in the air. The group 1 metals react vigorously with oxygen to form metal oxides. Lithium burns with a red flame, sodium with a yellow-orange flame, and potassium burns with a lilac flame. Page: 1  1. 2  2. 3  3. 4  Back. 5  Next. An oxygen atom has the electronic configuration 2.6. (a) State, in terms of electrons, what happens to a sodium atom when it reacts with oxygen. Give the symbol of the sodium species formed. (b) State, in terms of electrons, what happens to an oxygen atom when it reacts with sodium. Give the symbol of the species formed from the oxygen atom. (c) State the name and formula of the compound formed when sodium reacts with oxygen. As mentioned previously Sodium Oxide is formed (Na2O) when sodium reacts with oxygen, but when considering a single atom NaO is formed. Sodium (Na) has one lone electron on it's outer shell which readilly disociates leaving Na+, a positively charged ion (Cation). It reacts with Oxygen in the air and produces a layer of oxide-Sodium Oxide. Sodium Oxide is like rust for Sodium, which corrodes the metal. Sodium is heated in the absence of Oxygen in a glass enclosure to make street lamps. The Ionic Bond formation for Lithium Oxide. Lithium is in group 1 of the periodic table. A lithium atom will lose 1 electron to form a stable 1+ ion. Oxygen is in group 6 of the periodic table. An oxygen atom will gain 2 electrons to form a stable 2- ion. In this example the electrons are shown as dots and crosses. Two lithium atoms will each give one electron to the oxygen atom. The atoms become ions. Confidence votes 8.1K. Oxygen is more electronegative than lithium, a metal. Oxygen has a tendency to gain two electrons so it will bond with two lithium atoms which have a tendency to donate one valence electron for bonding. Li2O. (b) The electronic configuration of a sodium atom is 2.8.1Sodium oxide, Na 2 O, is an ionic compound formed when sodium reacts with oxygen.(i) Describe, in terms of electrons, what happens when sodium oxide is formed in this. reaction. (3).  Sodium is a reactive metal. It reacts with Oxygen in the air and produces a layer of oxide-Sodium Oxide. Sodium Oxide is like rust for Sodium, which corrodes the metal. Sodium is heated in the absence of Oxygen in a glass enclosure to make street lamps. When a mass of heated Sodium reacts with Oxygen the whole thing turns into white Sodium Oxide The alkali metals are a group (column) in the periodic table consisting of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). 
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describe what happens in terms of electrons when lithium reacts with oxygen