The alkaline earth metals are denser and harder than the corresponding alkali metals. Explain ?
What is the trend of atomic and ionic radii of alkaline earth metals within the group?
The atomic and ionic radii of alkaline earth metals are smaller than those of the corresponding alkali metals. Explain.
How will you explain that alkaline earth metals have much higher melting and boiling points than those of alkali metals?
Discuss the general trends in ionisation enthalpy of the alkaline earth metals.
i) The alkaline earth metals owing to their large size of atoms have fairly low values of ionisation enthalpies. Within the group, the ionisation enthalpy decreases as the atomic number increases. It is because of increase in atomic size due to the addition of new shells and increase in the magnitude of screening effect of the electrons in inner shells.
ii) The first ionisation enthalpies of alkaline earth metals are higher than alkali metals because of smaller atomic size and higher than alkali metals because of smaller atomic size and higher effective nuclear charge. Second ionisation enthalpy is smaller than that of alkali metals because alkali metals acquire noble gas configuration after losing one electron.
The first ionisation enthalpies of alkaline earth metals are higher than those of corresponding alkali metals. Explain.
Second ionisation enthalpies of alkali metals are much higher than those of the alkaline earth metals. Explain.
How will you explain the electropositive or metallic character of alkaline earth metals?