Anyone know why Li is the strongest reducing agent (compared to other IA)?

[DentalKitty]

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I've seen the reduction potential tables, and I see that it has the most negative value and such, but does anyone know why? I thought the valence e- would be held tighter because it is closer to the nucleus. Or does the increasing atomic size/nuclear charge down the group override that? Ionization energy increases up the group, so why wouldn't the reducing power go in the opposite direction? The IA elements also don't go in order for reducing strength, and I thought they would.... Thanks!