alkaaniyhdisteiden
Alkaaniyhdisteiden, known more commonly in English as alkaline earth metals, refers to the elements in Group 2 of the periodic table. These elements include beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). They are characterized by their relatively low electronegativity and their tendency to lose two electrons to form divalent cations with a +2 charge. This electronic configuration, with a filled s-orbital in the outermost shell, makes them highly reactive.
The alkaline earth metals are generally silvery-white, soft metals, though their hardness increases with atomic number.