12ChF321 Group 2

Group 2 The Alkaline Earth Metals

Candidates should be able to: (a) describe the redox reactions of the Group 2 elements Mg Ba: (i) with oxygen, (ii) with water; (b) explain the trend in reactivity of Group 2 elements down the group due to the increasing ease of forming cations, in terms of atomic size, shielding and nuclear attraction; (c) describe the action of water on oxides of elements in Group 2 and state the approximate pH of any resulting solution; (d) describe the thermal decomposition of the carbonates of elements in Group 2 and the trend in their ease of decomposition; (e) interpret and make predictions from the chemical and physical properties of Group 2 elements and compounds; (f) explain the use of Ca(OH)2 in agriculture to neutralise acid soils; the use of Mg(OH)2 in some indigestion tablets as an antacid.

Physical properties The elements in Group 2: - are all metals - are good conductors of electricity - have high melting and boiling points - have silver-grey metallic appearance
Note: Radium is too radioactive to handle in a normal laboratory. Its other properties closely resemble those of barium.

They form ionic compounds which - are colourless - have high melting and boiling points - conduct electricity when molten or in solution
except for beryllium which behaves differently because of its very small size

Chemical Properties To understand the reactions of Group 2 it helps to consider their electron arrangements: Be [He] 2s2 1s2 2s2 Mg [Ne] 3s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 2 Ca [Ar] 4s 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 Sr [Kr] 5s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 5s2 2 Ba [Xe] 6s 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 6s2 So all the atoms of Group 2 elements have two electrons in their outer shell. Group 2 elements react by losing two electrons to form M2+ ions (thereby obtaining the same electron configuration as a noble gas): M M2+ + 2eReactivity increases down the Group because going down the group it becomes easier to lose the two electrons to form the M2+ ion. This is because:

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12ChF321 Group 2 the atomic radius increases down the group so the outer electrons are further from the attraction of the nuclear charge there are more filled inner shells shielding the two outer shell electrons from the nuclear charge these factors outweigh the increasing nuclear charge due to the increasing atomic number down the group

Reducing power The Group 2 elements are reducing agents - they cause other elements to gain electrons and become reduced. The more reactive they are, the better they are at doing this, so Group 2 become better reducing agents as we go down the group. Reactions 1) with oxygen Group 2 metals react with oxygen from the air (the most reactive of them are kept under oil like the Group 1 metals) and burn with characteristic flame colours, undergoing redox reactions.
e.g. Ca(s) + O2(g) CaO(s) 0 0 +2 -2 ox red Flame colours: Mg white Ca brick red Sr crimson Ba - green

2) with water Group 2 metals Ca, Sr and Ba react readily with water to form hydroxides, and give off hydrogen gas. These are redox reactions. e.g. Ca(s) + 2 H2O(l) Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)

Notes: Ba reacts so vigorously that it is kept under oil, like the Group 1 metals. Mg reacts very slowly (days), producing a white suspension of magnesium hydroxide because magnesium hydroxide is barely soluble in water. Mg(s) + 2 H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(s) + H2(g) Magnesium does react with steam, however, producing magnesium oxide and hydrogen (a displacement reaction). Mg(s) + H2O(g) MgO(s) + H2(g)

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12ChF321 Group 2 3) reactions of the Group 2 oxides with water The oxides of Group 2 react with water to form hydroxides. Again note that magnesium hydroxide is all but insoluble, so we use a (s) state symbol whereas all the other hydroxides form solutions. e.g. SrO(s) + H2O(l) Sr(OH)2(aq) MgO(s) + H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(s)

The resulting solutions are alkaline and have pH values in the range 8 12. Going down the group the hydroxides become more soluble in water, so a more concentrated solution (with a higher, more alkaline pH) may be formed. THESE ARE NOT REDOX REACTIONS !! Note: Calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) is used in agriculture for neutralising acidic soils. Magnesium hydroxide is the active ingredient in some antacid (indigestion) tablets. "Milk of Magnesia" is a suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water. Both are neutralising acids in these applications: e.g. Ca(OH)2(aq) + 2H+(aq) Ca2+(aq) + 2H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(s) + 2H+(aq) Mg2+(aq) + 2H2O(l)

4) thermal decomposition of Group 2 carbonates Group 2 carbonates decompose on heating to form oxides and carbon dioxide: e.g. CaCO3(s) CaO(s) + CO2(g)

The temperature required for decomposition increases down the group (i.e. they get harder to decompose). Indeed BeCO3 is so unstable that it decomposes spontaneously at room temperature. Barium carbonate requires very strong heating. NOT REDOX.

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