a. The relative placement of these elements with similar properties in the periodic table is across a diagonal and is called diagonal relationship.
b. Lithium is placed in the group 1 and period 2 of the modem periodic table. It resembles with magnesium which is placed in the group 2 and period 3.
ii. Li and Mg show similarities in many of their properties.
e. g.
a. Reaction with oxygen :
1. Group 1 elements except lithium, react with oxygen present in the air to form oxides (M2O) as well as peroxides (M2O2) and superoxides (MO2) on further reaction with excess of oxygen.
2. This anomalous behaviour of lithium is due to its resemblance with magnesium as a result of diagonal relationship.
3. As group 2 elements form monoxides i.e., oxides, lithium also form monoxides.
b. Reaction with nitrogen :
1. All the group 1 elements react only with oxygen present in the air to form oxides while group 2 elements react with both nitrogen and oxygen present in the air forming corresponding oxides and nitrides.
2. However, lithium reacts with oxygen as well as nitrogen present in the air due to its resemblance with magnesium.
