The alkali metals are located in Group 1 of the periodic table. They are characterized by having one valence electron. The number of protons in an atom's nucleus is equal to its atomic number. Here are the alkali metals with fewer than 10 protons:
* Lithium (Li): Atomic number 3, with 3 protons.
* Sodium (Na): Atomic number 11, with 11 protons.
Therefore, the alkali metals with fewer than 10 protons are Lithium (Li) and Sodium (Na).