alkaline-earth metals definition of alkaline-earth metals in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

alkaline-earth metals, metals constituting Group 2 of the periodic table periodic table, chart of the elements arranged according to the periodic law discovered by Dmitri I. Mendeleev and revised by Henry G. J. Moseley . In the periodic table the elements are arranged in columns and rows according to increasing atomic number (see the
..... Click the link for more information. . Generally, they are softer than most other metals, react readily with water (especially when heated), and are powerful reducing agents, but they are exceeded in each of these properties by the corresponding alkali metal. They form divalent compounds. In order of increasing atomic number the alkaline-earth metals are beryllium beryllium (bərĭl`ēəm) [from beryl ], metallic chemical element; symbol Be; at. no. 4; at. wt. 9.01218; m.p.
..... Click the link for more information. , magnesium magnesium (măgnē`zēəm, –zhəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Mg; at. no. 12; at. wt. 24.305; m.p. about 648.
..... Click the link for more information. , calcium calcium (kăl`sēəm) [Lat.,=lime], metallic chemical element; symbol Ca; at. no. 20; at. wt. 40.08; m.p. about 839°C;; b.p.
..... Click the link for more information. , strontium strontium (strŏn`shēəm) [from Strontian, a Scottish town], a metallic chemical element; symbol Sr; at. no. 38; at. wt.
..... Click the link for more information. , barium barium (bâr`ēəm) [Gr.,=heavy], metallic chemical element; symbol Ba; at. no. 56; at. wt. 137.33; m.p. 725°C;; b.p.
..... Click the link for more information. , and radium radium (rā`dēəm) [Lat. radius=ray], radioactive metallic chemical element; symbol Ra; at. no. 88; at. wt. 226.0254; m.p.
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