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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: HongKongALevelboy on August 12, 2004, 09:53:59 AM

Title: metal alkaline
Post by: HongKongALevelboy on August 12, 2004, 09:53:59 AM
why are group 1 metal oxides more alkaline than group 2 metal oxides in water ? please help me stop wondering . ( why are group 1 hydroxides more alkaline that those of group 2 ) , is it a matter of the solubility of metal hydroxide ions and should group 2 hydroxides be solid ?
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: Demotivator on August 12, 2004, 10:46:30 AM
group 2 oxides have more covalent character than group 1 because higher cation charge draws more electron density from oxygen towards the metal than group1. Therefore group 2 is less ionic and less soluble.
When group 2 hydrolyzes in water it produces hydroxide, but the reaction is a reversible equilibrium.
Group 1 hydrolysis is essentially complete.
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: budullewraagh on August 12, 2004, 09:46:45 PM
ay, alkali hydroxides dissociate much more thoroughly than alkaline earth hydroxides
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: Mitch on August 12, 2004, 09:59:53 PM
how does one become more alkaline?
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: HongKongALevelboy on August 13, 2004, 11:01:37 AM
thx a lot , demotivator , i understand it now , i ll take my Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination on March of 2005 , meanwhile , i would raise many questions , i will be grateful if u guys are willing to take trouble to answer me .
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: jdurg on August 14, 2004, 11:38:25 PM
how does one become more alkaline?

I've heard the term 'alkaline' used many times in the past to describe the level of OH- concentration of a solution.  So one metal is more alkaline than another if it forms more hydroxide ions when going into solution.  
Title: Re:metal alkaline
Post by: Mitch on August 15, 2004, 03:17:42 AM
I was making a subtle point that the group 1 elements are alkalai metals not alkaline earth elements like the group 2 elements are. So to describe group 1 metals as alkaline seemed strange to me. I think I was too subtle though.