Chemical properties of Alkaline earth metals: How alkaline earth metals burn in air
Answer Text: Chemical properties of Alkaline earth metals.1. Burning alkaline earth metals in air.- Alkaline earth metals react burn in air to form corresponding oxides.- More reactive alkaline earth metals may also react with atmospheric nitrogen to form corresponding nitrides.Examples:Magnesium.- Burns in air with a blinding brilliant flame forming a white solid.- The white solid is a mixture of magnesium oxide and magnesium nitride.Equations:Reacting with oxygen: #2Mg(s) + O_2(g) → 2MgO(s)#Reacting with nitrogen: #3Mg(s) + N_2(g) → Mg_3N_2(s)#Calcium.- Burns in air with a faint orange flame forming a white solid.- The white solid is a mixture of calcium oxide ad calcium nitride.Equations:Reacting with oxygen: #2Ca(s) + O_2(g) → 2CaO(s)#Reacting with nitrogen:# 3Ca(s) + N_2(g) → Ca_3N_2(s)#Note:- The trend in the reactivity of alkaline earth metals when burning in air is not clear; due to the oxide coating on the calcium that tends to slow down the reaction of calcium in air.- For this reason it is important to polish the surfaces of alkaline earth metals before using them in experiments.
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