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How alkaline earth metals react with chlorine.

Answer Text:
4. Reaction of alkaline earth metal with chlorine.
- Alkaline earth metals react with chlorine to form corresponding chlorides as the only products.
Magnesium.
Procedure: - A piece of burning magnesium is lowered into a gas jar containing chlorine.
Observations: - The metal continues to burn with a brilliant white flame.
- They grey solid forms a white powder.
Explanation.
- Reaction between magnesium and chlorine is exothermic.
- The heat produced keeps the metal burning; thus facilitates the reaction between magnesium and chlorine to form magnesium chloride, which is the white powder.
Equation: #Mg(s) + Cl_2(g) → MgCl_2(s)#
Magnesium.
Procedure: - A piece of burning calcium is lowered into a gas jar containing chlorine.
Observations and explanations.
- The metal burns shortly with an orange flame but soon smolders off.
- There is no steady reaction between calcium and chlorine.
Reason:
- When calcium is heated a coating of the metal oxide is formed first which prevents
further reaction between the metal and chlorine.
- However under suitable conditions calcium reacts with chlorine to form a white powder of calcium chloride.
Equation: #Ca(s) + Cl_2(g) → CaCl_2(s)#