Question

Alkaline earth metals show by losing electrons.

• A. bivalency
• B. two

Answer 1

• Alkaline earth metals: The elements present in the second group of the periodic table are known as alkaline earth metals. This group includes six elements.
• The alkaline earth metals are placed in the second group from top to bottom in the order:

1. Beryllium $\left(\mathrm{Be}\right)$
2. Magnesium $\left(\mathrm{Mg}\right)$
3. Calcium $\left(\mathrm{Ca}\right)$
4. Strontium $\left(\mathrm{Sr}\right)$
5. Barium $\left(\mathrm{Ba}\right)$
6. Radium $\left(\mathrm{Ra}\right)$

• The atoms of the elements of this group contain 2 electrons in their outermost shell. Hence, these metals show bivalency by losing two electrons and forming dipositive cations.

Example: Magnesium $\left(\mathrm{Mg}\right)$ atom has 12 electrons in it that are arranged in different shells as 2,8,2. There are two electrons in the outermost shell, so it loses these 2 electrons and forms ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ ion.

Alkaline earth metals show bivalency by losing two electrons.