Alkaline Earth Metals
The elements that make up Group 2 of the periodic table are commonly called the alkaline earth metals. They include beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium. All of these elements contain two electrons in the outermost energy level of their atoms, and they tend to have similar chemical and physical properties. Their properties can also be compared to those of the alkali metals, which lie next to them on the periodic table. They are shiny, relatively soft, and white or silvery in color.
Like the alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals react with acids and water to produce hydrogen gas. These reactions, however, are less intense than are those with the alkali metals. Alkaline earth metals also react...
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