Question

To which group, an element with atomic number 88 will belong? (a) Group 12 (b) Group 17 (c) Group 10 (d) Group 2

Short answer

(d) Group 2

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Element

First, find out which element has the atomic number 88. The element with atomic number 88 is Radium (Ra).

Determine the Group

Radium (Ra) is an alkaline earth metal. The alkaline earth metals belong to Group 2 of the periodic table.

Select the Correct Option

Since Radium (Ra) belongs to Group 2, the correct answer is (d) Group 2.

Key concepts

Alkaline Earth Metals

Alkaline earth metals represent a fascinating family within the periodic table. Located in Group 2, these elements share certain characteristics that set them apart from their periodic neighbors. More specifically, they all have two electrons in their outermost shell, which makes them highly reactive, although not quite as reactive as their Group 1 counterparts, the alkali metals.

The members of this family include Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra). Alkaline earth metals are distinguished by their shiny appearance and their relative hardness. They are all solid at room temperature and exhibit relatively high melting and boiling points.

These metals readily lose their two outer electrons to form divalent cations (such as Ca^{2+}), which plays a crucial role in a vast array of biological and geological processes. For instance, Magnesium is essential for all living cells as it forms the center of the chlorophyll molecule in plants, while Calcium is pivotal in bone formation in animals.

Periodic Table

The periodic table is an invaluable tool for scientists, as it provides a systematic way to organize the chemical elements according to their properties. It is structured in rows called periods and columns known as groups or families. The elements in a group often have similar physical and chemical properties because they have the same number of electrons in their outermost shell, which determines their reactivity.

For students delving deeper into chemistry, understanding the layout of the periodic table is crucial. It's not just a matter of memorizing where elements are placed but also comprehending why they are organized that way. For example, Group 2, which includes the alkaline earth metals, showcases elements that exhibit trends in their reactivity, hardness, and other physical properties as you move down the group from Beryllium to Radium.

The periodic table's predictive power lies in the patterns and trends among elements, such as atomic size, ionization energy, and electron affinity. It's the clarity of these patterns that allows chemists to infer the properties of elements that were previously undiscovered or to anticipate how certain elements will react with others.

Radium (Ra)

Radium (Ra), with the atomic number 88, is a member of the alkaline earth metals group and is distinguishable by its intense radioactivity. Discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898, radium has been historically noteworthy for its use in radiotherapy to treat cancer, but due to its high radioactivity, it has been mostly replaced by safer alternatives today.

Radium decays to emit alpha particles, which can be harmful if radium is ingested. Nonetheless, its luminescence was once popular for making the hands and numbers on clocks and watches glow in the dark. This element's most stable isotope, ^{226}Ra, has a half-life of about 1,600 years, which means it takes this amount of time for half a quantity of radium to decay. This realization of the significance of radioactive decay was pivotal to our understanding of nuclear physics and chemistry.