page_title: Lithium
section_title: Chemical compounds
hierarchical_section_title: Lithium / Properties / Chemical compounds
context_page_description: Lithium is a soft, silver-white metal with symbol Li. It is the third chemical element in the periodic table. This means that it has 3 protons in its nucleus and 3 electrons around it. Its atomic number is 3. Its mass number is 6.94. It has two common isotopes, ⁶Li and ⁷Li. ⁷Li is more common. 92.5% of lithium is ⁷Li. Lithium is a soft silvery metal that is very reactive. It is used in lithium batteries and certain medicines.
context_section_description: Lithium forms chemical compounds with only one oxidation state: +1. Most of them are white and unreactive. They make a bright red color when heated in a flame. They are a little toxic. Most of them dissolve in water. Lithium carbonate is less soluble in water than the other alkali metal carbonates like sodium carbonate.
  Lithium carbonate, used in medicine
  Lithium chloride, colorless crystalline solid, red flame when heated
  Lithium hydroxide, strong base, used to remove carbon dioxide in spaceships
  Lithium nitrate, oxidizing agent
  Lithium nitride, strong base
  Lithium oxide, dissolves in water to make lithium hydroxide
  Lithium peroxide, reacts with water to make oxygen
caption: Flame test for lithium
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