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Lessons
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- Connection Among the Location in the Table, the Atomic Number, and Mass
- How to Identify Metals, Semimetals, Nonmetals, and Halogens
- How to Identify Alkaline Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, and Transition Metals
- Lanthanide, Actinide, Transactinide, and Transuranium Elements
- Ionization Energy, Electronegativity, Relative Sizes
- How Many Electrons Can Bond?
- Size and Mass
- Location and Quantum Electron Configuration
How to Identify Alkaline Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, and Transition Metals
The elements in Group 2 are called the alkaline earth metals. They have 2 electrons in their outermost shell. They have good metallic properties including conductivity, luster (shine), softness, malleability and ductility – although they are less "metallic" than the elements in Group 1.
The alkaline earth metals are: beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba) and radium (Ra). Magnesium and calcium are common in the Earth's crust.
