Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SEMESTER 2
CHEMISTRY
CHAPTER 4 :
GROUP 2
1st
ionisation
energy
(kJ/mol)
Electronic configuration
Name ,
symbol
Atomic
radius/
nm
Beryllium
Be
0.112
1287
900
1s2 2s2
Magnesium
Mg
12
0.160
650
738
Calcium
Ca
20
0.197
842
590
Strontium
Sr
38
0.215
777
550
503
Barium,
Ba
56
0.218
727
Be
Mg
Ca
Sr
Ba
1st IE (kJ/mol)
900
740
590
550
500
2nd IE (kJ/mol)
2700
2190
1740
1610
1470
Be
Mg
Ca
Sr
Ba
Eo / V
- 1.85
-2.37
-2.87
-2.89
- 2.90
Trend of reducing
agent
Reducing strength
increased
Be
2 Be + O2 2 BeO
Mg
2 Mg + O2 2 MgO
Ca
2 Ca + O2 2 CaO
Sr
Sr + O2 SrO
Ba
Ba + O2 BaO2
Reactivity
DECREASE
INCREASE
Element
Melting point of
oxide
Element
Be
Rate of formation of
base
Ca
Sr
Ba
INCREASE
Mg
Element
Condition
of water
Reaction equation
Rate of
reaction
Ksp (mol3
dm-9)
Solubility
Be + 2 H2O Be(OH)2 + H2
6.92 x 10-22
Mg
Hot steam
Mg + 2H2O Mg(OH)2 + H2
5.61 x 10-12
Ca
Water at
room
Ca + 2 H2O Ca(OH)2 + H2
temperature
Sr
Cold water
Sr + 2 H2O Sr(OH)2 + H2
Ba
Cold water
Ba + 2H2O Ba(OH)2 + H2
5.50 x 10-6
7.24 x 10-6
2.54 x 10-4
INCREASE
Hot steam
INCREASE
Be
Element
Formula
Be
BeCO3
1590C
Mg
MgCO3
3500C
Ca
CaCO3
8320C
Sr
SrCO3
13400C
Ba
BaCO3
14500C
Stability
Formula
Be(NO3)2
Mg(NO3)2
Ca(NO3)2
Sr(NO3)2
Stability
INCREASE
temperature
INCREASE
Decomposition
Group 2 Nitrate
Ba(NO3)2
The thermal stabilities of Group 2 nitrates and carbonates increase down the
group from beryllium to barium. This means that the temperature needed to
decompose the nitrates and carbonates increases down the group.
The trend of decomposition for Group 2 nitrate and carbonate can be explained
below
Magnesium nitrate and magnesium carbonate decompose easily at low
temperatures.
This shows that the metal oxide is more stable than the nitrate and carbonate.
This can be explained by the fact that the size of the oxide ion, O2-, is smaller
than that of the nitrate, NO3-, and carbonate, CO32- ions. As such, the oxide ion
can approach closer to the Mg2+ cation forming a shorter and stronger bond
Besides, magnesium ion has a high charge density ratio giving the
ion a high polarisation power To polarise the electron clouds of the
nitrate and carbonate ions.
The electron clouds of the NO3- ion and CO32- ion are easily
distorted, rendering the nitrogen-oxygen bonds in the NO3- ions and
the carbon-oxygen bonds in the CO32- ions are weak and easily
broken.
The smaller O2- ions are left attached to the magnesium ions.
2 Mg(NO3)2 (s) 2 MgO (s) + 4 NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
MgCO3 (s) MgO (s) + CO2 (g)
Barium nitrate and barium carbonate appear to be more stable
than that of it's counterparts of the magnesium. A higher
temperature is needed to decompose the salts. This is because the
large size of the barium ion lowers the charge density ratio of the
ion. The polarity of the ion depends directly on this ratio. A lower
charge density ratio means the cation is less polarising. When
barium ion approaches radius anion like NO3- ion and CO32- ion, the
electron clouds of the anions will not be as distorted as when
bonded with the magnesium ion. The bonds between Ba-NO3 and
Ion
Be2+
Mg2+
Ca2+
Sr2+
Ba2+
Charge density
64.5
30.8
20.2
17.7
14.8
2486
1925
1577
1446
1308
Q. Q
Lattice energy
r
* So, higher the lattice energy (more negative or more exothermic), the
more stable the ionic compound formed, the more the energy required
to break the strong electrostatic forces between the 2 opposite charged
ions.
4. All sulphates of Group 2 elements are white crystalline and nondeliquescent solids. The solubility of these sulphates decrease down
the group. Magnesium sulphate is soluble in water, calcium sulphate
is slightly soluble and barium sulphate is insoluble.
5.
This can be explained using the standard enthalpy of solution,
Hsoln, where it is defined as the heat absorbed or released when
one mole of crystal lattice is dissolved in water to form ionic
aqueous solution under standard condition.
MX (s) M+ (aq) + X- (aq)
Hsoln = + / kJ / mol
* If the Hsoln, is positive, the salt will be insoluble in water & if Hsoln,
is negative, it is soluble in water
6. Using Hess Law, the relationship between Hsoln, Hhyd, and LE can
be explained using the chart below
M X (s)
H solution
M (aq)
+
+
negative
H Lattice
energy
M+ (g) + X- (g)
X- (aq)
H hydration
8. (a)
The solubility of the sulphates decreases down Group 2 because
the hydration energies of the ions decrease more rapidly than the lattice
energies with increasing ionic size in the order Mg2+<Ca2+< Sr2+< Ba2+
(b)
The lattice energies of the Group 2 sulphates decrease relatively
slower because the magnitude depends on (r+ + r ). The anion radius (r)
for sulphate ion, SO42, is too big compare to the cation radius (r+).
(c)
As a results, the overall (r+ + r ). does not show any signifcant
increase down the group. The lattice energy does not decrease very much
from magnesium sulphate to barium sulphate.
9.
On the other hand, the small size of the magnesium ion plus its high
charge result in a lot of heat being released as hydration energy. This
hydration energy decreases rapidly down the group from magnesium ion to
barium ion because there is a significant increase in the size of the cations
down the group. The resulting enthalpy of solution for barium sulphate
becomes less negative compared to that of magnesium sulphate.
Consequently, the solubility decreases down the group in the order:
BeSO4 > MgSO4 > CaSO4 > SrSO4 > BaSO4
Group 2 sulphate
Be SO4
Mg SO4
Ca SO4
Sr SO4
Ba SO4
-95.3
-91.2
+ 17.8
+ 18.70
+19.4
Solubility
(g / 100mL)
41.0
36.4
0.21
0.010
0.00025
Hhydration
Hlattice energy
BeSO4
Mg SO4
CaSO4
Sr SO4
BaSO4
4.5.2
Most of the applications of elemental magnesium are based on the formation of light
alloys, especially with aluminium, that are widely used in construction in applications
where weight is an issue, such as aircraft. A magnesiumaluminium alloy was
previously used in warships but was discovered to be highly flammable when
subjected to missile attack.
Some of the uses of magnesium are based on the fact that the metal burns in air with
an intense white flame, and so it is used in fireworks and flares.
Various applications of magnesium compounds include Milk of Magnesia, Mg(OH)2,
which is a common remedy for indigestion, and Epsom Salts, MgSO4.7H2O, which is
used for a variety of health treatments, including as a treatment for constipation, a
purgative, and a soak for sprains and bruises.
Magnesium and calcium are of great biological importance. Magnesium is a
component of chlorophyll but also it is coordinated by many other biologically
important ligands, including ATP (adenosine triphosphate). It is essential for human
health, being responsible for the activity of many enzymes. The recommended adult
human dose is approximately 0.3 g per day and the average adult contains about 25
g of magnesium
Magnesium oxide, MgO, is used as a refractory lining for furnaces. Organomagnesium compounds are widely used in organic synthesis as Grignard reagents
The compounds of calcium are much more useful than the element itself.
Calcium oxide (as lime or quicklime) is a major component of mortar and
cement. It is also used in steelmaking and papermaking.
Calcium sulfate dihydrate, CaSO4.2 H2O is widely used in building materials,
such as plasterboard, and anhydrous CaSO4 is a common drying agent.
Calcium carbonate is used in the Solvay process for the production of
sodium carbonate and as the raw material for production of CaO.
Calcium fluoride is insoluble and transparent over a wide range of
wavelengths. It is used to make cells and windows for infrared and
ultraviolet spectrometers.
4.6
The small size of Be2+ (ionic radius 27 pm) and its consequent high charge
density and polarising power results in the compounds of Be being largely
covalent; the ion is a strong Lewis acid. The coordination number most
commonly observed for this small atom is 4 and the local geometry
tetrahedral.
Some consequences of these properties are:
A significant covalent contribution to the bonding in compounds such as
the beryllium halides BeCl2, BeBr2, and BeI2 and the hydride, BeH2.
A greater tendency to form complexes, with the formation of molecular
compounds such as Be4O(O2CCH3)6.
Hydrolysis (deprotonation) of beryllium salts in aqueous solution, forming
species such as [Be(H2O)3OH]+ and acidic solutions. Hydrated beryllium
salts tend to decompose by hydrolysis reactions, where beryllium oxo- or
hydroxo salts are formed, rather than by the simple loss of water.
Beryllium forms many stable organometallic compounds, including
methylberyllium (Be(CH3)2), ethylberyllium, t-butylberyllium.