What atom is alkaline earth metal?
alkaline-earth metal, any of the six chemical elements that comprise Group 2 (IIa) of the periodic table. The elements are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra).
Which are alkaline earth metals?
Group 2A — The Alkaline Earth Metals. Group 2A (or IIA) of the periodic table are the alkaline earth metals: beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). They are harder and less reactive than the alkali metals of Group 1A.
What is the difference between alkali metal and alkaline earth metal atom?
The main difference between alkali metals and alkaline earth metals is that alkali metals have one valence electron in the outermost orbit whereas alkaline earth metals have two valence electrons in the outermost orbit.
What is the largest alkaline earth metal atom?
Radium
Radium, the heaviest – with an atomic number of 88 – was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898 and is the only radioactive member of these metals.
Why are they called alkaline earth metals?
The alkaline earth metals are named after their oxides, the alkaline earths, whose old-fashioned names were beryllia, magnesia, lime, strontia, and baryta. “Earth” was a term applied by early chemists to nonmetallic substances that are insoluble in water and resistant to heating—properties shared by these oxides.
What are 2 alkali metals?
Group 1A (or IA) of the periodic table are the alkali metals: hydrogen (H), lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr). These are (except for hydrogen) soft, shiny, low-melting, highly reactive metals, which tarnish when exposed to air.
How are alkaline earth metals used in the real world?
Uses of Alkaline Earth Compounds Calcium compounds are widely found in limestone, marble, and chalk. Calcium is an important constituent of cement. Other uses include calcium chloride as a deicer and limestone as a white pigment in paints and toothpaste. Strontium is widely used in fireworks and magnets.