An Essay on theComparison and Contrast between Group 1 and Group 2 Elements

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An Essay on the Comparison and Contrast between Group 1 and Group 2 Elements

In this essay I will examine the characteristics of group 1 and group 2 elements which are also known as alkaline metals. Group 2 metals are alkaline earth metals which are strong reducing agents, and as a result, give up their electrons easily. They are less reactive than the alkali metals, but still reactive enough that they are not found naturally occurring in nature. The metals are a shiny, silver-white colour and can conduct electricity well. The elements include beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium.

All of the Alkaline Earth Metals are found in the Earth's crust. They are usually distributed in rock structures as they are too reactive to exist in the natural form. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element on earth and can be found in carnellite, magnesite, and dolomite. Calcium is the fifth most abundant element on earth and can be found in chalk, limestone. Group 1 are known as alkali metals these metals have only one electron in their outer shell and readily lose the one electron in ionic bonding with other elements they include the following elements lithium, potassium, sodium, francium and caesium.

First I will discuss the first experiment which was on the effect of heat on the carbonates which included the following elements sodium and calcium which are both from group 1 and group 2 elements. When we heated the carbonates the sodium carbonate before it was heated weighed 31.4086g with the weight of the crucible and calcium carbonate weighed 30.0004g with the crucible and both of these compounds were a white powdered form. When the crucible was heated we saw no visible reaction for both of the compounds. When we weighed the crucible the again with the residue the weight of sodium carbonate was fairly the same at 31.7212g and calcium carbonate decreased to 29.6521 which meant that no carbon dioxide from the sodium carbonate was given off it still remained in the within the compound this is shown by this chemical formula Na2+Co3           Na2o+Co2 this equation is doesn’t fit in because the compound didn’t decompose, whereas the calcium carbonate lost the carbon dioxide this is shown in this reaction CaCo3           Cao+Co2 this formula equation is correct because the carbon dioxide was given off which is why we had to weigh the residue again after heating the substance. All group 2 metal carbonates are insoluble in water this is a white colour.

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These metal carbonates are found in the nature, calcium carbonate occurs as chalk, limestone and marble, chalk was formed; often in deposits of hundred meters thick form the exoskeletons of small marine organisms. The thermal stability of the group 2 carbonates increases form magnesium carbonate to barium carbonate. Group 1 metal carbonates are soluble when water is added this is a colourless solution and one of the differences when relating to group 1 and group 2 carbonates. All carbonates react with acid to produce carbon dioxide this is shown by this equation: Co3--+H+          Co2+H2o. The carbonates ...

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