Chemistry of period II elements

Period 2 consists of the following elements as shown in table 1 below.

Table 1 Period 2 elements

Element: Li Be B C N O F Ne
Electron
2 1
Configuration 1s 2s 1s22s2 1s22s22p1 1s22s22p2 1s22s22p3 1s22s22p4 1s22s22p6. 1s22s22p5

The diagonal relationship

Li Be B C

Na Mg Al Si
Li and Mg, Be and Al, B and Si have similarities in their chemical properties. Such similarities in
chemical properties between the first element and the second element in the next higher group are
called diagonal relationship. This kind of relation exists between some elements of periods 2 and 3.

Thus diagonal relationship is the similarity in chemical properties between elements in the second
period with elements which are lying to their right in the 3rd period or lying diagonally opposite to
them.

The reason for the diagonal relationship is because the two diagonally related elements (e.g., Li and
Mg or Be and Al) have very similar electropositivity. Since electropositivity increases from top to
bottom in any periodic group and decreases from left to right across a particular period, the increase in
electropositivity in going down one place in the periodic group, (e.g., magnesium is one place lower
than lithium) is compensated for by the decrease that occurs in moving one step across a period from
left to right (magnesium is one place to the right of lithium).

Alternatively, two diagonally related elements have the same polarizing power since on moving from
left to right across a period, the cationic charge increases and cationic size decreases, the magnitude of
polarizing power increases, and moving down the group, however, cationic size increases reducing the
polarizing power. Since these two variations of polarizing power of cations (along the period and
down the group) are opposite each other, they partially cancel (balance) each other when we move
diagonally in the periodic table.
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Alternatively, two diagonally related elements have the same electronegativity, since an increase in
electronegativity one step across the period is cancelled out by a decrease in electronegativity one
step down the group.

Similarities between Li and Mg

The following summaries show the ways in which lithium resembles magnesium and, differs from
other alkali metals.

Li and Mg Na, K, Rb and Cs

1. Both form normal oxides when they burn Form peroxides, e.g., Na2O2 or hyper oxides,
in oxygen. e.g., KO2
4Li (s) + O2 (g) → 2Li2O (s)
2Mg (s) + O2 (g) → 2MgO (s)

2. Their carbonates, hydroxides and peroxides

readily decompose to the oxides on heating.
Li2CO3 (s) → Li2O (s) + CO2 (g) No similar decomposition.
MgCO3 (s) → MgO (s) + CO2 (g)
3. Their nitrates decompose on heating to give Nitrates decompose to give nitrites.
oxides, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen. 2KNO3(s) → 2KNO2(s) + O2(g)
4LiNO3 (s) → 2Li2O(s) + 4NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
2Mg(NO3)2 (s) → 2MgO(s) + 4NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
4. Their carbonates and phosphates are Corresponding compounds are more soluble
insoluble in water.

5. Form strongly hydrated ions in solution Corresponding ions are not hydrated in solution

6. They form carbides and nitrides by No reaction with N2 nor C.

direct combination with the element.
3Mg (s) + N2 (g) → (Mg2+)3(N3-)2 (s)
Mg (s) + 2C (s) → Mg2+(CC)2- (s)
7. Halides (except fluorides) are soluble in Corresponding compounds much less soluble.
organic solvents.

8. Compounds have covalent character. Solid hydro carbonates can be made.

Hydro carbonates known only in solution

Trial 1
(i) Explain what is meant by diagonal relationship. (3 ½ mark)
(ii) Name five properties in which lithium resembles magnesium but differs from the rest of group 1 metals. Give
one reason for the resemblance between lithium and magnesium. (10 marks)

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Similarities between Be and Al.
The following summary shows how beryllium resembles aluminium, and differs from other group 2A
metals.

Be and Al Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba

1. Both are passive to nitric acid. React with nitric acid to form salts .
2. Both react with NaOH solution to evolve No reaction with alkalis.
hydrogen.
Be (s) + 2-OH (aq) + 2H2O (l) →
Be(OH)42-(aq) + H2 (g)
beryllate ion

Al (s) + 2-OH (aq) + 6H2O (l) →

2Al(OH)4- (aq) + 3H2(g)
aluminate ion

3. The oxides and hydroxides of beryllium and Oxides and hydroxides are basic
aluminium are amphoteric.

4. The chlorides are covalent polymeric solids Chlorides and hydroxides have high conductivities
(through dative bonding). When anhydrous and boiling temperatures; they are not
(BeCl2)X and (AlCl3)X which readily dissolve in hydrolyzed and are ionic.
organic solvents. They are readily e.g., Ca2+Cl-2
hydrolyzed by water, with evolution of HCl.

5. Beryllium carbide, Be2C, and aluminium CaC2 gives ethyne with water.
carbide, Al4C3, give methane on treatment with CaC2(s) + 2H2O(l) → Ca(OH)2(aq) + HC≡CH(g)
water.
Be2C(s) + 4H2O(l) → 2Be(OH)2(s) + CH4(g)
2Al4C3(s) + 12H2O(l) → 4Al(OH)3(s) + 3CH4(g)

6. Similar complexes of beryllium and aluminium No similar compounds.

have similar stabilities, e.g., BeF42- and AlF63-.

Trial 2
Beryllium differs in some of its properties from the rest of the elements in the group.
(i) State two properties in which beryllium differs from the rest of the members of the group. (2marks)
(ii) Give reasons why beryllium shows different properties from the rest of the elements. (2marks)

Trial 3
Explain the following observations.
(b) Beryllium belongs to group II of the periodic table and yet its Chemistry and that of its compounds resemble
that of aluminum.
Trial 4
Beryllium, like aluminium can react with sodium hydroxide solution. Other group II elements do not.
(i) Write ionic equations for the reactions of beryllium and aluminium with sodium hydroxide solution.
(ii) List three other properties in which beryllium shows similarity to aluminium.
(iii) Explain why beryllium behaves differently from other group II elements.
(iv) Name two other elements which have a similar relationship like beryllium and aluminium.

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Similarities between B and Si
The ways in which boron resembles silicon and differs from aluminium are summarised below.

B and Si Al

1. Non-metals with very similar properties; non- A metal with different physical properties;
conducting. conducting.

2. Compounds are covalent. Compounds are partially ionic.

3. Their oxides (Be2O3 and SiO2) are strongly Oxide is amphoteric, with high melting
acidic in character and form oxy-acids temperature.
(H3BO3, H2SiO3) with water. These react with
aqueous alkalis to produce borates and
silicates.

4. Form covalent chlorides, BCl3 and SiCl4, which AlCl3 is less readily hydrolyzed.
are readily hydrolyzed.

5. Form borides, e.g., MgB2 and CaB6, and No similar compounds.

silicides, e.g., Mg2Si, with metals.

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Additional exercise

1. (a) Explain why, the atomic spectrum of hydrogen contains lines in the radio - frequency region of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
(b) The Balmer series of the lines in the atomic spectrum of atomic hydrogen arises from electronic transitions
from the level n = 2 and m = 3, 4, 5, etc. These lines fit the general equation.

1 1 1 
= R  2- 2
 n m 
Where R∞ is Rydberg's constant and has the value 109677 cm-1 and λ is the wavelength in cm. Calculate the
wavelength of the first three spectral lines in this series in nm.

(c) The Lyman’s series of spectral lines arises from electronic transitions from n = 1 (ground state level) to m = 2, 3,
4, etc. Calculate the series limit, (which corresponds to complete removal of the electron). Hence, calculate the
energy in joules needed to remove the electron completely from the atom.

(d) Electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 242 nm is just sufficient to ionize the outermost electron of sodium
atom. Calculate the ionisation energy of sodium atom in kJ mol-1.
(Planck's constant is 6.625 X 10-34J S and the velocity of light is 3 X 108 m s-1).

2. (a) Explain what is meant by the term, "ionisation energy."

(b) Show the trends in ionisation energy across a period and down a group in the Periodic Table.
(c) Give reasons for the trends in (b) above.

3 (a) The electronic structure of sodium is 2.8.1 or more precisely, 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1.
Write down, in similar way, the electronic structures of Be, B, N, O, F and Ne.
(b) Explain why the first ionisation energy of elements of a given period of a periodic table increases from left to
right of the periodic table
(c) Use electronic structures (3a) above to explain why
(i) the first ionisation energy of beryllium is higher than that of boron.
(ii) the first ionisation energy of oxygen is lower than that of nitrogen.
(iii) the difference between the first and second ionisation energies of sodium is higher than the corresponding
difference for calcium.
4. (a) Define the terms atoms, atomic number, mass number.
(b) Name and give relative masses and charges of the three fundamental particles of an atom which are
significant in Chemistry.
(c) What explanation can you offer for the following?
(i) Aluminium chloride is essentially covalent, whereas aluminium fluoride is predominantly ionic.
(ii) Aluminium is exclusively 3-valent, whereas transition metals display several valence states.
(iii)The boiling points of the hydrogen halides are: HF,19 0C; HCl, -85 0C; HBr, -67 0C; HI,-35 0C.
(iv) Calcium oxide has the formula Ca2+O2- and not Ca+O-.

5. Explain concisely what is meant by the terms: electrovalent bond, covalent bond, and coordinate bond. Compare
and contrast the physical properties displayed by common compounds containing electrovalent and covalent
bonds.

Write electronic formulae for the following compounds containing electrovalent and covalent bonds.
(i) Magnesium chloride, (ii) ethane (iii) ammonium chloride. Comment on the types of bonds.

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6. The first member of a family (a vertical group) of elements in the periodic table has properties that are not
typical of the other members of the family. Discuss and explain this statement with respect to two non-metals
and one metal.

7. Illustrate how the Chemistry of elements and their compounds changes across a short period by writing a
comparative account of the Chemistry of the elements sodium to chlorine in the second period, and of their
oxides and hydrides.

8. (a) Explain the trends in the atomic radii of the elements both along period 3 (Na-Cl) and down group 7 (F-I) of
the periodic table. Show with the aid of examples, how these trends help to explain the changes in chemical
properties of the elements.
(b) Explain how the effects of (i) heat and (ii) water on sodium chloride and aluminium chloride are influenced by
the type of bonding present in each compound.

9. Define the terms: ionisation energy, electron affinity and electronegativity.

Show how a consideration of the trends in the values of these terms may be used to explain the variation in the
bond types and chemical properties of chlorides, oxides and hydrides of elements of the period, sodium to
chlorine.

10. Compare sodium, aluminium and sulphur with respect to their reactions with (a) oxygen and (b) chlorine. Your
comparisons should include the following:
(i) the conditions of the reactions and equations.
(ii) the bonding in the products;
(iii) the reactions, including equations of the products with water to which a few drops of universal indicator
have been added.
(iv) how the characteristics (I), (ii) and (iii) show the change in nature of an element on passing from left to right
in the periodic table

11. (a) What is an atom?

(b) Give the basic units that form an atom and their physical properties.
(c) Which of these units (b) above can be used to arrange elements in the periodic table? Develop your
reasoning.
(d) (i) Relate the four quantum numbers of an electron in an atom.
(ii) Write the s, p and d electronic configurations of the first 20 elements.

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