Alkaline Earth Metals Periodic Table (With Images)

Alkaline earth metals are the elements located in group 2 of the periodic table. These elements are;

1. Beryllium (Be)
2. Magnesium (Mg)
3. Calcium (Ca)
4. Strontium (Sr)
5. Barium (Ba) and 
6. Radium (Ra)

Let’s see a few important and interesting things about alkaline earth metals of the periodic table.

Table of contents

• What are alkaline earth metals?
• Alkaline earth metals list
• Common things about alkaline earth metals
• Electronic configuration of alkaline earth metals

What are alkaline earth metals?

Alkaline earth metals (Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba and Ra) are the metals that form alkaline hydroxides {Ba(OH)₂ , Mg(OH)₂ , Ca(OH)₂ , etc} on reacting with water, and the oxide minerals of these metals (BeO, beryl, MgO, magnesite, etc) are found from the earth’s crust.

For example:

Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium, Barium and Radium, when react with water, they form hydroxides. And these hydroxides are alkaline in nature (or basic in nature, that have pH > 7).

And also, the oxides of these metals (BeO, beryl, MgO, magnesite, etc) are obtained from the earth’s crust.

Hence, these metals of group 2 are called alkaline earth metals.

Alkaline Earth Metals list

List of alkaline earth metals is mentioned below.

Atomic number	Name and symbol of element
4	Beryllium (Be)
12	Magnesium (Mg)
20	Calcium (Ca)
38	Strontium (Sr)
56	Barium (Ba)
88	Radium (Ra)

Common things about Alkaline Earth Metals

Alkaline earth metals have common physical properties as well as chemical properties.

1. The alkaline earth metals have a similar appearance. They are silvery-white and shiny in appearance.

You can see the shiny silvery-white appearance of alkaline earth metals in the above image.

1. The alkaline earth metals have similar chemical properties because they all have two valence electrons.

As the alkaline earth metals have 2 valence electrons and they lose these 2 valence electrons during a chemical reaction. 

Alkaline earth metals	Atomic number (Z)	Electrons arrangement
Beryllium (Be)	4	2, 2
Magnesium (Mg)	12	2, 8, 2
Calcium (Ca)	20	2, 8, 8, 2
Strontium (Sr)	38	2, 8, 18, 8, 2
Barium (Ba)	56	2, 8, 18, 18, 8, 2
Radium (Ra)	88	2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8, 2

As they lose 2 electrons, they form a cation with +2 charge.

Electronic configuration of Alkaline Earth Metals

The electron configuration of alkaline earth metals is mentioned below.

Element	Electronic configuration
Beryllium (Be)	[He] 2s2
Magnesium (Mg)	[Ne] 3s2
Calcium (Ca)	[Ar] 4s2
Strontium (Sr)	[Kr] 5s2
Barium (Ba)	[Xe] 6s2
Radium (Ra)	[Rn] 7s2

External resources:

1. Alkaline earths (n.d.). http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/pertab/alkear.html
2. US GOV, N. O. (n.d.). ALKALINE EARTH METAL DISPERSION | CAMEO Chemicals | NOAA. ALKALINE EARTH METAL DISPERSION | CAMEO Chemicals | NOAA. https://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/19037
3. The Alkaline Earth Metals. (n.d.). The Alkaline Earth Metals. https://bluebox.creighton.edu/demo/modules/en-boundless-old/www.boundless.com/chemistry/textbooks/boundless-chemistry-textbook/metals-20/metals-145/the-alkaline-earth-metals-565-6854/index.html
4. Foundation, C. (n.d.). CK12-Foundation. CK12-Foundation. https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-chemistry-flexbook-2.0/section/6.10/primary/lesson/alkaline-earth-metals-chem/
5. 6.10: Alkaline Earth Metals. (2016, June 27). Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemistry_(CK-12)/06%3A_The_Periodic_Table/6.10%3A_Alkaline_Earth_Metals
6. Alkaline-earth metal | Properties, List, & Reactivity. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/alkaline-earth-metal
7. Alkaline earth metal – Wikipedia. (2012, November 1). Alkaline Earth Metal – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_earth_metal
8. Boudreaux, K. A. (n.d.). The Parts of the Periodic Table. The Parts of the Periodic Table. http://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/periodic/periodic_main2.htm