Topic 4: Group 2 Flashcards
Reactions with Oxygen
- More vigorous down the group
- Bright flame
- White solid formed
- Barium most reactive
Reactions with Chlorine
- More vigorous down the group
- Products are chlorides containing M2+ and Cl- ions
Reactions with Water
- Magnesium reacts v slowly
- More vigorous down the group
Products:
1. Hydrogen gas
2. hydroxides
Oxides with water
Form colourless solutions
Form hydroxide ions
Trend in solubility of hydroxides
Solubility increases down the group.
Trend in solubility of sulphates
Solubility decreases down the group.
Test for sulphate ions
Add barium chloride/nitrate
Sulphate ions react to form a white precipitate of Barium sulphate.
Thermal decomposition of nitrates produce…
Trend in thermal stability of carbonates and nitrates
- More thermally stable as you go down group because:
1. Ionic radius increases down group
2. charge density decreases
3. large ions have less polarising ability on carbonate/nitrate ion
4. more energy is needed to break the C-O / N-O bond.
Equation for G2 carbonates and heat
MCO3 –> MO + CO2
Equation for G2 nitrates and heat
M(NO3)2 –> 2MO + 4NO2 + O2
What is NO2
Brown gas
How to do a flame test?
- Dip nichrome wire in c. HCl
- Then into the compound to be tested
- Hold in blue part of flame
What is the c.HCl used for?
What causes the flame test?
- Electrons in the metal ions are excited to higher electronic energy levels.
- As the electrons return to the ground state, the energy is emitted as visible light.
- The light emitted is characteristic of that metal as each metal has energy levels with different energy gaps between them.
What colour does Magnesium burn?
No colour
What colour does Potassium burn?
Lilac
What colour does lithium burn?
Crimson
What colour does sodium burn?
Yellow
What colour does beryllium burn?
No colour
What colour does calcium burn?
Brick red
What colour does strontium burn?
Red
What colour does barium burn?
Green
Problems with flame test?
- Compounds often contain sodium compounds as impurities
- Describing colours with words is subjective