Summary of Periodic Table Group II

Properties of Group II Element

Be
4

Group II element
Atomic No.
Atomic Radius
1st I.E.

Melting Point

Chemical
Reactivity
Gp II metals are
very good
reducing agents

Mg
12

Ca
20

Sr
38

Ba
56

Down the group

Nuclear charge increases.
Significant increase in screening effect outweighs increase in nuclear charge
Effective nuclear charge decreases down the group
Weaker electrostatic attraction between nucleus and valence electrons
Valence electrons are further away from the nucleus
Smaller amount of energy needed to remove the valence electron (for1st IE only)

Group II metals have giant metallic lattice structure

Down a group, atomic radius increases
Weaker electrostatic attraction between the cations and sea of delocalised electrons
Metallic bond strength decreases

Reducing power & chemical reactivity increases down the group

Down the group,
the atomic radius increases
it becomes easier to lose the 2 outermost electrons (oxidation more likely to occur)
(OR the ionisation energy decreases thus valence electrons are more easily lost)
E is negative and decreases
M2+ + 2e
M
E < 0
2+
+ 2e
Mg E = -2.38V
e.g
Mg
Ca2+ + 2e
Ca E = -2.87V
Reactivity of Group II elements increases. (e.g. Ca is more reactive than Mg)

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Group II element
Reaction with
water

Be

Mg

No reaction with
cold water or
steam

Ca

Reacts very
slightly with cold
water
It reacts rapidly
with steam to form
oxide
MgO dissolves
partially in water to
give a weakly
alkaline solution

Reacts vigorously
with cold water to
give sparingly
soluble Ca(OH)2

Ca(s) + 2H2O(l)
Ca(OH)2(s) + H2(g)

Sr

Reacts
vigorously with
cold water to
give sparingly
soluble Sr(OH)2

Sr(s) + 2H2O(l)
Sr(OH)2(s)+ H2(g)

Ba
Reacts vigorously
with cold water to
give soluble
Ba(OH)2

Ba(s) + 2H2O(l)
Ba(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)

Mg(s) + H2O(g)
MgO(s) + H2(g)
MgO(s) + H2O(l)
Mg(OH)2(aq)

Reaction with
Oxygen

All Group II metals burn with a bright flame to form basic oxides. (exception: BeO which is amphoteric)
2Ca(s) + O2(g)
2Sr(s) + O2(g)
2Ba(s) + O2(g)

MJC 2011

2CaO(s)
2SrO(s)
2BaO(s)

Reaction of Group II Metal Oxides with Water

Group II Oxides

BeO

Nature of oxide

Amphoteric (ionic bond with

covalent character since Be2+ has
high charge density)
(reacts with both acids and bases)

MgO

Reaction with
water

SrO

BaO

Basic (ionic bond)

(reacts with acids to give salt and water)

MO + 2HCl MCl2 + H2O

M = Gp II metals

BeO + 2HCl BeCl2 + H2O

BeO + 2OH- H2O Be(OH)42Insoluble in water

CaO

Dissolve in water to give an alkaline solution (pH 10 13)

Slightly soluble
in water
(pH9)
MgO + H2O
Mg(OH)2

CaO(s) + H2O(l) Ca(OH)2(aq)

SrO(s) + H2O(l) Sr(OH)2(aq)
BaO(s) + H2O(l) Ba(OH)2(aq)

Thermal Stability of Carbonates, Nitrates and Hydroxides

Thermal stability of Group II salts increases down the group
or Thermal decomposition temperature of Group II salts increases down the group
Down the group,
size of cation increases (while charge remains unchanged)
charge density of the cation decreases
polarising power of the cation decreases
cation is less able to distort electron cloud of an anion
thermal stability of compound increases.
M(NO3)2(s) MO(s) + 2NO2(g) + O2(g)
(brown gas)
MCO3(s) MO(s) + CO2 (g)
M(OH)2(s) MO(s) + H2O(g)

where M refers to any Group II metal

MgO is used as refractory lining for high temperature furnaces because of its high melting point.
CaO (quicklime) or CaCO3 (limestone) is used for liming (increased soil pH).

MJC 2011

MJC 2011