Which periodic table group contains the alkaline earth metals? Group 2 is the answer.
The alkaline earth metals occupy Group 2 of the periodic table. The group contains beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium. Each has two electrons in its outermost shell, so these elements commonly lose both electrons to form ions with a +2 charge.
Their shared name comes from the older term “alkaline earths,” used for the oxides of these metals. Early chemists considered such substances to be “earths” because they were difficult to dissolve and withstand heating; they were called alkaline because their compounds could produce basic solutions. In 1808, Humphry Davy isolated several of the metals by electrolysis, helping establish that the earths were compounds rather than elements.
Group 2 metals are generally reactive, silvery, and metallic. Reactivity usually increases down the group. Calcium, strontium, and barium react readily with water, while beryllium is much less reactive and is protected by unusual bonding and a surface oxide layer. Radium also belongs to Group 2, but its chemistry is difficult to study because it is intensely radioactive. A common mix-up is choosing Group 1, which contains the chemically related but more reactive alkali metals.