Question

The labels on two bottles of powdered metals have fallen off. From the labels, the metals are known to be Mg and Ca. Your friend Jace says it is possible to determine which label should go on which bottle by observing the reaction between small amounts of each metal in separate beakers containing equal quantities of water.


Periodic Table

Considering particles at the subatomic level, carrying out this experiment would help to identify the metals given that: Ca has the
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atomic radius. In chemical reactions, it would be
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for it to lose its valence electrons to form ions. This means it has comparatively
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ionization energies and would react more
Choose...
with the water.

Answer 1

Ca has the larger atomic radius. In chemical reactions, it would be easier for it to lose its valence electrons to form ions. This means it has comparatively lower ionization energies and would react more vigorously with the water.

(Reason: Ca’s valence electrons are further from the nucleus and more shielded, so they are held less tightly than Mg’s.)