Question

What is the trend for ionic character of the group 2 compounds going down the group?
Can you explain this trend?

Answer 1

In this series, the ionic character of the compounds increases with increasing ionic radius of the metal atom. Electronegativity atoms decreases, and therefore the difference between the electronegativity of the cation and anion increases. In the series: beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium electronegative atoms, respectively 1.5; 1.2; 1.0; 1.0; 0.9.