Group IIA - alkaline earth metals
Properties
| Physical Properties:
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- low densities, but higher than densities of the comparable alkali metals
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| Chemical Properties:
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- less reactive than the alkali metals
- all alkaline earth metals have two valence electron which form ions with a positive (2+) charge
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| Abundance:
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- calcium is the fifth most abundance element; about 4% of the earth's crust is Ca or Mg.
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| Common
Compounds:
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- calcium are found as calcium carbonate, CaCO3 in chalk, limestone, marble, and calcite.
- magnesium metal is used in flash powder and photographic lightbulbs
- hard water contains calcium and magnesium ions
- beryllium and its compounds are toxic
- barium compounds are used as white pigments
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