The Alkaline Earth metals are metallic elements found in the second group of the Periodic Table.
All Alkaline Earth metals have a oxidation number of 2+, making them highly reactive. Because
of their reactivity, the are not found in nature. The six elements in the Alkaline Earth metals
group are Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium, Barium, and Radium.
Beryllium
Beryllium (4Be) has a atomic number of 4 and a atomic weight of 9.012182. Its color is gray. At ordinary temperatures, beryllium resists oxidation in air. Its ability to scratch glass is probably due to the formation of a thin layer of the oxide. Aquamarine and emerald are precious forms of the mineral beryl, [Be3Al2(SiO3)6].
Magnesium (12Mg) has a atomic number of 12 and a atomic weight of 24.03050. Its color is silvery
white. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth's crust although not found in
it's elemental form.Magnesium tarnishes slightly in air, and finely divided magnesium readily
ignites upon heating in air and burns with a dazzling white flame. Normally magnesium is coated
with a layer of oxide, MgO, that protects magnesium from air and water.
Calcium
Calcium (20Ca) has a atomic number of 20 and a atomic weight of 40.078. Its color is silvery white.
Calcium is a metallic element, fifth in abundance in the earth's crust, of which it forms more
than 3%. It is an essential constituent of leaves, bones, teeth, and shells.It readily forms a
white coating of nitride in air, reacts with water, burns with a yellow-red flame, forming largely
the nitride. Calcium does not occur free in nature. Calcium is found mostly as limestone, gypsum and
fluorite. Stalagmites and stalactites contain calcium carbonate.
Strontium
Strontium (38Sr) has a atomic number of 38 and a atomic weight of 87.62. Its color is Silvery white.
Strontium does not occur as the free element. Strontium is softer than calcium and decomposes water
more vigorously. Freshly cut strontium has a silvery appearance, but rapidly turns a yellowish colour
with the formation of the oxide. The finely divided metal ignites spontaneously in air. Volatile strontium
salts impart an excellent crimson colour to flames, and these salts are used in pyrotechnics.
Barium
Barium (56Ba) has a atomic number of 56 and a atomic weight of 137.327. Its color is silverly white.The metal
oxidises in Barium very easily and it reacts with water or alcohol. Small amounts of barium compounds are
used in paints and glasses.
Radium
Radium (88Ra) has a atomic number of 88 and a atomic weight of 226. Its color is metallic. Radium emits alpha, beta, and gamma rays and when mixed with beryllium produces neutrons. Inhalation, injection, or body exposure to radium can cause cancer and other body disorders. Alkaline Earth metal, white but tarnishes black upon exposure to air, luminesces, decomposes in water, emits radioactive radon gas, disintegrated radioactively until it reaches stable lead, radiological hazard, alpha, beta, and gamma emitter, exposure to radium can cause cancer and other body disorders. Radium is over a million times more radioactive than the same mass of uranium.
