alkaline earth metal

A series of elements comprising Group 2 (column 2) of the periodic table: 1) beryllium (Be) 2) magnesium (Mg) 3) calcium (Ca) 4) strontium (Sr) 5) barium (Ba) 6) radium (Ra) Characteristics: - silver colored, soft metals - react readily with halogens to form ionic salts - react with water (not as rapidly as the alkali metals) to form strongly alkaline hydroxides a) magnesium reacts only with steam b) calcium reacts with hot water c) beryllium does not react with water or steam, & its halides are covalent. - alkaline earth metals have 2 electrons in their valence shell, thus a tendency lose two electrons to form divalent cations

Specific

barium [Ba] beryllium [Be] calcium [Ca] magnesium [Mg] radium [Ra] strontium [Sr]

General

chemical element metal

References

- Wikipedia: Alkaline earth metal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_earth_metal