Scribd
Upload
4 views2 pages

Chem Lab

The experiment investigated the reactivity of Group II metals, specifically magnesium and calcium, demonstrating that calcium is more reactive due to its larger atomic size and easier ionization. Calcium reacted vigorously with cold water, producing hydrogen gas and a basic solution, while magnesium's reaction was slower and required heating. The findings confirm that reactivity increases down Group II, as evidenced by the differing reactions with water and oxygen.

Uploaded by

je8779457
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views2 pages

Chem Lab

The experiment investigated the reactivity of Group II metals, specifically magnesium and calcium, demonstrating that calcium is more reactive due to its larger atomic size and easier ionization. Calcium reacted vigorously with cold water, producing hydrogen gas and a basic solution, while magnesium's reaction was slower and required heating. The findings confirm that reactivity increases down Group II, as evidenced by the differing reactions with water and oxygen.

Uploaded by

je8779457
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Discussion

The experiment examined the reactivity of Group II metals, Elements in group II all have similar
chemical properties because their atoms all have two valence electrons. They react by losing
these valence electrons to form positively charged ions called cations. When they lose these
electrons, they are said to ionize. The easier an element ionizes the more reactive it is. The ease
of ionization increases moving down group II, therefore the reactivity of the elements increases
moving down the group. The Experiment focused on magnesium and calcium, and how they
interact with water and oxygen. It was observed that calcium reacted vigorously with cold water,
while magnesium’s reaction was much slower and required heating for a noticeable reaction to
occur. This difference can be explained by the fact that as you move down Group II in the
periodic table, the metals become more reactive. This is due to the increasing atomic size and
increased ease of ionization because of a larger atomic radii, which makes it easier for calcium to
lose electrons and participate in chemical reactions compared to magnesium. As calcium is lower
in the group than Magnesium.
Group II metals, known as alkaline earth metals, typically react with water to form alkaline
solutions and hydrogen gas. In this experiment, magnesium produced only a few bubbles in cold
water, while calcium reacted strongly, producing larger bubbles and a gas that made a popping
sound when tested with a lighted splint, confirming the presence of hydrogen gas. Additionally,
red litmus paper turned blue in the calcium reaction, indicating the formation of a basic solution.
The reaction of magnesium with water is represented by the equation Mg + 2H₂O → Mg (OH)₂
+ H₂, whereas the reaction of calcium with water is Ca + 2H₂O → Ca(OH)₂ + H₂.
It was also observed that magnesium reacted with oxygen, burning with a bright white flame,
while calcium burned with a brick-red flame. In both cases, a white solid was formed, indicating
the production of metal oxides. When Group II elements react with oxygen, they form basic
oxides. The balanced equations for these reactions are 2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO for magnesium and
2Ca + O₂ → 2CaO for calcium. These results confirm the general trend that the reactivity of
Group II metals increases down the group.

Conclusion
It was evident that calcium is more reactive than magnesium, as its reaction with water was
more vigorous, while magnesium required heating to react significantly. This trend is consistent
with the properties of Group II metals, where reactivity increases as you move down the group
due to the decreasing ionization energy and increasing atomic size. The results demonstrate that
the ability of these metals to lose electrons and form compounds becomes easier down the group,
leading to more vigorous reactions.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy