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Alkaline earth metals have a first ionisation energy that is defined as the amount of energy required to remove the first electron from a neutral atom. As a result of its smaller radius and the electrons being held tightly by the higher nuclear charge, it is larger than an alkali metal atom. It is also larger than an alkali metal atom due to electrons being withdrawn from a fully filled and thus stable subshell.
Reactivity in the Chemical World
Alkaline earth metals are relatively reactive due to the low ionisation enthalpy of the elements. In contrast to alkali metals, their chemical reactivity is lower than that of other metals. Furthermore, as we progress from Be to Ba, the chemical reactivity of the metals increases as the electropositive character of the metals increases in proportion to the increasing atomic number of the metal. Because of its small size, high electronegativity, and high enthalpy, beryllium is primarily used to form covalent compounds with other elements. Magnesium compounds are partially ionic and partially covalent, whereas calcium, strontium, and barium compounds are purely ionic.
Alkaline Earth Metals are Included in Group 2 of the Periodic Table
Group 2 alkaline earth metals include Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Barium, Strontium, and Radium, which are soft silver metals with a lower metallic quality than Group 1 alkali metals. Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Barium, Strontium, and Radium are all alkaline earth metals. Although heavier metals such as calcium, strontium, barium, and radium share many characteristics with the Group 1 Alkali Metals, they are not nearly as reactive as the Group 1 Alkali Metals. All of the elements in Group 2 have two electrons in their valence shells, giving them an oxidation state of +2, which is the most positive of the elements in the group.
Alkaline Earth Metals are Included in Group 2 of the Periodic Table
The alkaline earth metals are a group of six chemical elements that are found in the second group of the periodic table. The elements involved are Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra). They have extremely similar properties at standard temperature and pressure: they are all lustrous, silvery-white metals with moderate reactivity when exposed to standard temperatures and pressures. There are natural occurrences of all of the known alkaline earth metals, with the exception of radium, which is only found as a waste product from the decay of uranium and thorium, rather than as a pre-existing element.
Conclusion
Alkali earth metals are found in Group 2 of the periodic table, and they are thought to be the closest neighbours to the most reactive elements in the group.
