| Alkali metals | Alkaline earth metals |
| $I$. Ionization enthalpy: These have the lowest ionization enthalpies in their respective periods due to their large atomic sizes. They lose their only valence electron easily to attain a stable noble gas configuration. | $I$. Ionization enthalpy: Alkaline earth metals have smaller atomic sizes and higher effective nuclear charges compared to alkali metals,resulting in higher first ionization enthalpies. However,their second ionization enthalpy is lower than that of alkali metals because alkali metals achieve a stable noble gas configuration after losing one electron. |
| $II$. Basicity of oxides: The oxides of alkali metals are highly basic due to the highly electropositive nature of the metals,making the oxides strongly ionic and prone to dissociation in water. | $II$. Basicity of oxides: The oxides of alkaline earth metals are basic,but less so than those of alkali metals because alkaline earth metals are less electropositive. |
| $III$. Solubility of hydroxides: The hydroxides of alkali metals are generally more soluble in water. | $III$. Solubility of hydroxides: The hydroxides of alkaline earth metals are less soluble than those of alkali metals due to their higher lattice energies,which result from their higher charge densities. |
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| column-$I$ | column-$II$ |
| $a$. $Ra$ | $p$. Aeroplane industry |
| $b$. $K$ | $q$. Down cell |
| $c$. $Li$ | $r$. Photo electric cell |
| $d$. $Na$ | $s$. Radioactive |
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