MS.

K BHAGALOO CHEMISTRY
Chemistry
Trends in Group II

Group II (2) is also known as the alkaline Earth metals and comprises of the elements Beryllium,

Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium and Barium and Radium. Radium is not being studied since it is

radioactive and hence very unstable. All the elements in this group have 2 electrons in the outer

shell but the number of shells increase by one as you go down the group. Beryllium (Be) has an

electron configuration of 2, 2 which tells us that there are two shells in this atom (each number

represents a shell), four electrons, and also four protons. The elements in this group possess similar

chemicals and physical properties. The following table gives the physical properties of the

elements in Group II which include the melting, density and Atomic radius.

We can see that the atomic radius increases down the group, the density increases and the

melting point generally decreases down the group with the exception of Magnesium which has

the lowest melting point. The boiling point also decreases down the group and the metals become

softer.

Since these element all have two electrons in their outermost shell it is easier to lose these two than

to gain six more when reacting with other elements. When an atom loses electrons we say it has
MS.K BHAGALOO CHEMISTRY
been ionised. When theses elements lose the outermost electrons they become positively charge

as there are now more positive protons in the atom than negative electrons. In the case of calcium,

it has an electronic configuration of 2,8,8,2 which means it has 20 electrons and since it is a neutral

it also has 20 protons. Now if calcium loses 2 electrons when it reacts with another element, it

remains with 18 electrons but it still has the initial 20 protons and now it has 2 more positive

charges than negative charges. The charge on calcium now moves from neutral or zero to positive

2. Calcium will now be called a positively charged ion or a Cation.

The process of losing electrons is called Ionisation. As we go down the group the ability for

atoms to lose electrons increases. This is because the size of the atom increases going down the

group and the outer shell is further away from the nucleus which has the positive charges. This

causes the outer electrons to be held weakly and so it becomes easier for them to be given away or

lost. As the number of positive charges increase more energy is needed to remove electrons from

the outer shell. However as the number of inner electron shells increase, the nuclear charge is

shielded or screened and the outer electrons do not experience a great attraction and can be easily

lost. When an element ionises easily it also means that it will react easily.
MS.K BHAGALOO CHEMISTRY
Going down the group the reactivity of the elements increase as the ease of ionisation increases.

The following table summarises this information.

Reactions of Group II elements with Oxygen, Water and Hydrochloric acid.

The elements in group II all react to varying degrees with water, oxygen and hydrochloric acid.

The general trend is that the reactivity of these increase going down the group.
MS.K BHAGALOO CHEMISTRY

Reaction with Hydrochloric Acid.

Group II metals react with hydrochloric acid to for hydrogen and salts called chlorides. The

reactions are similar for all the elements and the reactivity increases down the group. Two

examples are shown below.

Group two elements are reducing agents.

MS.K BHAGALOO CHEMISTRY
Worksheet 20-

1) What are the element in group II? Give the names and symbols and electronic configuration

in a table format as shown below.

Element Name Symbol Electronic Configuration

Hydrogen H 1

2) What is the name given to group II?

3) Which element in group II is not considered in group II and why?

4) How does the number of shells change in this group?

5) How does the density, atomic radius and melting point change in this group?

6) What is the term used to indicate an atom loses electrons?

7) How do you think the size of the atomic radius of Radium will be compared to Barium?

8) What is the product of the burning of group two elements in oxygen?

9) Show the reactions for each element in group II with oxygen.

10) What are the products formed when group II elements react with water?

11) Write the reactions for each element in group II and water.

12) What are the products formed when group II elements react with hydrochloric acid?

13) Write the reactions for each element in group II and HCL.

14) Write the equation for each element in group II showing the formation of the cation.