Question

Find the number of an element(s) which is/are present in group II.

Answer 1

Hint: The vertical columns present in the periodic table are called groups. They are given numbers starting from the left hand side of the periodic table. There are seven rows present in the periodic table of elements.

Complete answer:
> As we observe the periodic table, we get to know that it is a tabular display of the chemical elements, which are arranged by atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties.
> A basic idea that we should have is that there are seven rows of the table, called periods. We should note that, generally, it has metals on the left and nonmetals on the right. The columns which are also called groups, contain elements with similar chemical behaviours.
> We know that six groups have accepted names as well as assigned numbers. For example: Elements of group 17 are the halogens; and Group 18 are the noble gases.
> Now, in the question it is asking about elements that are present in group 2. Group 2 elements are soft metals that are less metallic in character than the Group 1 elements. Elements that are present in group 2 generally have oxidation state of +2. So, in total there are six elements present in group two. These elements are as follows:

	Element (Group 2)	Atomic Number
Be	Beryllium	4
Mg	Magnesium	12
Ca	Calcium	20
Sr	Strontium	38
Ba	Barium	56
Ra	Radium	88

> So, it is observed that all the elements in the group have the same number of valence electrons. That is the main reason why they have very similar chemical reactivity because valence electrons only take part in the chemical reaction.
Thus we can conclude that there are a total of six elements present in the group-II of periodic table of elements.

Note: Remember that here, they are asking the elements present in group-II of modern periodic table, so do not get confused with group-II of Mendeleev’s periodic table. Do not get confused between the rows and periods of the periodic table.