Inorganic Chemistry> what are the differences btween alkali me...

what are the differences btween alkali metals and alkaline earth metals?

asom jackson , 5 Years ago

Grade 12th pass

2 Answers

Arun

Last Activity: 5 Years ago

All the alkali metals have an electron in their outermost shell and all the alkaline earth metals have two outer electrons. To achieve the noble gas configuration, alkali metals need to lose one electron (valence is “one”), whereas alkaline earth metals need to remove two electrons (valence is “two”).

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Vikas TU

Last Activity: 5 Years ago

Dear student

Please follow this for detailed explanation.

Alkali metals are the elements of group I of the periodic table. These include Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Rubidium (Rb), Caesium (Cs) and Francium (Fr). All these elements are metals and contain one electron in their valence shell. These are highly electropositive and readily lose an electron. The metals are known for their high reactivity and hence do not occur in nature in free state, but in combined state in the form of halides, oxides, nitrates etc. The atomic radii of alkali metals are the largest in their respective periods.

Alkaline Earth metals are the elements of group II of the periodic table. These include Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr) and Barium (Ba) . All these elements are metals and contain two electrons in their valence shell.

The alkaline Earth metals too are highly electropositive and quite reactive. However, unlike alkali metals, they form divalent ions by losing two electrons.

You will study about them in more detail in grade 11, where an entire chapter has been devoted to the discussion of alkali and alkaline earth metals.

Good Luck

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