s and p-Block Elements 711

solubility of hydroxides of alkaline earth metals increases from Be to Ba. Be (4) Halides
(OH) and Mg (OH) are almost insoluble, Ca (OH) (often called lime water)
2 2 2 (i) The alkaline earth metals combine directly with halogens at
is sparingly soluble whereas Sr(OH) and Ba (OH) (often called baryta 2 2 appropriate temperatures forming halides, MX . These halides can also be 2

water) are more soluble. prepared by the action of halogen acids (HX) on metals, metal oxides,
The trend of the solubility of these hydroxides depends on the values hydroxides and carbonates.
of lattice energy and hydration energy of these hydroxides. The magnitude M + 2HX MX + H ; MO + 2HX MX + H O 2 2 2 2

of hydration energy remains almost same whereas lattice energy decreases

M(OH) + 2HX MX +2H O
appreciably down the group leading to more –Ve values for H down 2 2 2

MCO + 2HX MX + CO + H O
solution

the group. 3 2 2 2

Beryllium chloride is however, conveniently obtained from oxide

H solution
= H lattice energy
+ H hydration energy

870 1070 K
More negative is H more is solubility of compounds. BeO C Cl 2 BeCl 2 CO
solution

(xii) The basic character of oxides and hydroxides of alkaline earth (ii) BeCl is essentially covalent, the chlorides MgCl , CaCl , SrCl and
2 2 2 2

metals is lesser than their corresponding alkali metal oxides and hydroxides. BaCl are ionic; the ionic character increases as the size of the metal ion
2

(xiii) Aqueous solution of lime water [Ca(OH) ] or baryta water 2

increases. The evidence is provided by the following facts,
[Ba(OH)] are used to qualitative identification and quantative estimation of
2
(a) Beryllium chloride is relatively low melting and volatile whereas
carbon dioxide, as both of them gives white precipitate with CO due to 2
BaCl has high melting and stable.
2

formation of insoluble CaCO or BaCO 3 3 (b) Beryllium chloride is soluble in organic solvents.
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 CaCO3 + H2O ; Ba(OH)2 + CO2 BaCO3 + H2O (iii) The halides of the members of this group are soluble in water
(white ppt) (white ppt)
and produce neutral solutions from which the hydrates such : MgCl 6H O, 2 2

SO also give white ppt of CaSO and BaSO on passing through lime
2 3 3
CaCl .6H O. BaCl 2H O can be crystallised. The tendency to form hydrated
2 2 2 2

water or baryta water. However on passing CO in excess, the white 2

halides decreases with increasing size of the metal ions.
turbidity of insoluble carbonates dissolve to give a clear solution again due (iv) BeCl is readily hydrolysed with water to form acid solution,
2

to the formation of soluble bicarbonates, BeCl + 2H O Be (OH) + 2HCl.

2 2 2

CaCO H O + CO Ca(HCO )
3 2 2 3 2 (v) The fluorides are relatively less soluble than the chlorides due to
(2) Hydrides high lattice energies. Except BeCl and MgCl the chlorides of alkaline earth 2 2

(i) Except Be, all alkaline earth metals form hydrides (MH ) on 2
metals impart characteristic colours to flame.
heating directly with H . M+ H MH . CaCl2 SrCl2 BaCl2
2 2 2

(ii) BeH is prepared by the action of LiAlH On BeCl Brick red colour Crimson colour Grassy green colour
2 4 2

2BeCl + LiAlH 2BeH + LiCl + AlCl . Structure of BeCl : In the solid phase polymeric chain structure with 2

2 4 2 3
three centre two electron bonding with Be-Cl-Be bridged structure is shown
(iii) BeH and MgH are covalent while other hydrides are ionic.
2 2
below,
(iv) The ionic hydrides of Ca, Sr, Ba liberate H at anode and metal
at cathode.
2

202 PM Cl Cl Cl
CaH fusion
2
Ca + 2H 2+ –
Be 98o Be 263 pm Be
82o
Anode : 2H H + 2e Cathode : Ca + 2e Ca –

2
– 2+ –
Cl Cl Cl
(v) The stability of hydrides decreases from Be to Ba. In the vapour phase it tends to form a chloro-bridged dimer which
(vi) The hydrides having higher reactivity for water, dissolves readily dissociates into the linear triatomic monomer at high temperature at nearly
and produce hydrogen gas. 1200 K.
CaH + 2H O Ca(OH) + 2H (5) Solubility in liquid ammonia : Like alkali metals, alkaline earth
2(s) 2 2 2

metals also dissolve in liquid ammonia to form coloured solutions When

(3) Carbonates and Bicarbonates
such a solution is evaporated, hexammoniate, M(NH ) is formed.
(i) All these metal carbonates (MCO ) are insoluble in neutral 3
3 6

medium but soluble in acid medium. These are precipitated by the addition (6) Nitrides
of alkali metal or ammonium carbonate solution to the solution of these (i) All the alkaline earth metals direct combine with N give nitrides, 2

metals. MN.
3 2

(NH ) CO + CaCl 2NH Cl + CaCO

4 2
Na CO + BaCl 2NaCl + BaCO
2 3
3 2 4 3
(ii) The ease of formation of nitrides however decreases from Be to
Ba.
(iii) These nitrides are hydrolysed water to liberate
2 3

(ii) Alkaline earth metal carbonates are obtained as white

precipitates when calculated amount of carbon dioxide is passed through NH , M N + 6H O 3M(OH) + 2NH
3 3 2 2 2 3

the solution of the alkaline metal hydroxides. (7) Sulphates

M(OH) + CO MCO + H O 2 (aq) 2 (g) 3(s) 2 (l) (i) All these form sulphate of the type M SO by the action of H SO 4 2 4

and sodium or ammonium carbonate is added to the solution of the on metals, their oxides, carbonates or hydroxides.
alkaline earth metal salt such as CaCl . 2
M + H SO MSO + H ; MO+H SO MSO +H O
2 4 4 2 2 4 4 2

CaCl + Na CO
2 (aq)
CaCO +2 NaCl 2 3 (aq) 3(s) (aq)
MCO + H SO MSO + H O+CO
(iii) Solubility of carbonates of these metals also decreases
3 2 4 4 2 2

downward in the group due to the decrease of hydration energy as the M(OH) + H SO MSO + 2H O 2 2 4 4 2

lattice energy remains almost unchanged as in case of sulphates. (ii) The solubility of sulphates in water decreases on moving down
(vi) The carbonates of these metals decompose on heating to give the group BeSO and MgSO are fairly soluble in water while BaSO is
4 4 4

the oxides, the temperature of decomposition increasing from Be to Ba. completely insoluble. This is due to increases in lattice energy of sulphates
Beryllium carbonate is unstable. down the group which predominates over hydration energy.
Heat (iii) Sulphate are quite stable to heat however reduced to sulphide
MCO3 MO CO 2 on heating with carbon.