Name ____________________________________ Date __________________________ Period _______
The Alkaline Earth Elements
Question: Is there a trend in the chemical properties of the elements in group 2 of the periodic table?
Materials: safety goggles, apron, 12 well reaction plate, sheet of notebook paper, dropper bottles of:
magnesium nitrate, calcium nitrate, strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, potassium carbonate,
potassium sulfate, potassium chromate
Procedure:
1. Place the reaction plate in the center of a sheet of notebook paper so that there are 4 wells
running down and 3 wells running across. See Figure 1.
2. Along the side of the paper next each of the four wells, write the names of the four alkaline earth
elements that are present in each nitrate compound listed in the materials that you are using.
Write them in the same order in which they are listed. See Figure 1.
3. Along the top of the paper next to each of the three wells, write the names of the three
substances that are combined with potassium in the materials you are using. See Figure 1.
4. Put on your safety goggles and apron. Place 1 drop of potassium carbonate in each of the four
wells under the word “carbonate”. Place one drop of potassium sulfate in each of the four wells
under the word “sulfate”. Be very careful not to mix the liquid from one well with the liquid from
another.
5. Take the bottle of magnesium nitrate and place 1 drop in each of the three wells in the row
labeled “magnesium”. Observe each well carefully and record the result in the data table.
Repeat this procedure using the dropper bottles containing calcium nitrate, strontium nitrate,
and barium nitrate. Be very careful not to mix the liquid from one well with the liquid from
another.
6. After recording your results, wash your reaction plate thoroughly with soapy water and a brush.
Put everything away.
Data:
Alkaline Earth Metal
Magnesium
Carbonate
Sulfate
Chromate
Calcium
Strontium
Barium
Conclusion:
Write a paragraph that identifies any trends that you can find in the chemical properties of the elements
in group 2 and explain why. List all of the members of group 2 in order from the least reactive member
to the most reactive member.