Chemistry Element Group Report Group 2 Metals: The Alkaline Earth Metals

Chemistry Element Group Report

Group 2 Metals: The Alkaline Earth Metals

The periodic table has 18 groups that been discovered over the years. Each group has distinct characteristics that place each element in a specific spot.

Group two is made up of the alkaline earth metals Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Barium (Ba), Strontium (Sr), And Radium (Ra). These metals are soft, silver metals that are less metallic then the characteristics of Group 1 Alkali Metals. Have the name “alkaline” because of the nature of the compounds that are formed when bonded with oxygen. In pure forms are generally shiny and silvery. Yet rarely found in pure state because they are very reactive. This group of metals is not found freely in nature, are present in the earth’s crust but not in their basic form. Are ductile so can be drawn out into a thin wire without losing the metals toughness. Also are malleable so can be hammered out of shape and it won’t break or crack. These metals are softer and stronger than most other metals except the alkali metals, Group 1.

The heavier metals Ca, Sr, Ba, and Ra are almost as reactive as Group 1. This group has an oxidation number of 2+ which makes them very reactive. The more reactive metals that react vigorously with water at room temperature are calcium, barium and strontium. Magnesium reacts with water too but it has to be boiling. This group reacts with nonmetals to form ionic compounds, All the elements in this group have two electrons in the valence shell. In these reactions the alkaline earth metals gives up its outermost electrons to the nonmetal.

The atomic radius increases down the group, so Beryllium has a small radius compared to the rest of the group since it’s at the top of the periodic table. The opposite goes for the ionization energy and electronegativity, increase up the group. The alkaline Earth Metals have high boiling points and high melting points. The melting points of each element decreases down the group aside from an irregularity of magnesium. There’s not much of a trend for boiling point but all the melting points are higher than nine hundred degrees kelvin.

These metals are used in many different commercial uses. Beryllium is used as an alloying agent to produce beryllium copper. This is then used for springs, electrical contacts, spot-welding electrodes and non-sparking tools. It is also applied as a structural material for high-speed aircrafts, missiles, spacecraft’s and communication satellites.

Magnesium is one-third less dense then aluminum so it improves the items that used aluminum before. It improves the mechanical, fabrication and welding characteristics of aluminum when used as an alloying agent. Magnesium is used in products such as car seats, luggage, laptops, cameras and power tools that benefit from the fact that magnesium is lightweight.

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