Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
alkaline-earth metal

alkaline-earth metal

7.2
A metal like calcium or magnesium that makes substances that are not acidic
  • noun
  • /ˈæl.kə.laɪn ˈɜrθ ˈmɛtəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : metal alcalinotérreo
  • Both magnesium and calcium are alkaline-earth metals essential for human health.

Examples

  • The alkalis and alkaline earth metals transform from formally d0 to d1 and d2 metals; in effect, they assume the properties of other elements.

    Academic text (1998)

  • A halogens, B alkaline earth metals, C noble gases or D chalkogens.

  • Calcium is one of the most commonly used alkaline-earth metals in construction materials.

  • When heated, alkaline-earth metals typically produce bright flames in various colors.

Synonyms

alkaline earth
vsalkaline-earth metal
  • Specialized
7.2

A metal in the second column of the periodic table, like magnesium or calcium

is identical in meaning but written as a hyphenated technical term

Surface Forms

alkaline-earth metal singular
alkaline-earth metals plural

Morphology

alkaline-earth + metal

The noun 'metal' makes it clear this is a kind of metal, so part of the meaning is compositional. However, 'alkaline-earth' is a technical compound: although 'alkaline' (basic) and 'earth' give a loose clue, the precise classificatory sense (Group II elements such as calcium and magnesium) is specialized and not fully predictable for a B1 learner. This partial compositionality with a required technical knowledge yields a semi-transparent rating.

Etymology

Alkaline-earth metal: The name alkaline-earth metal comes from early chemists: they called certain mineral powders 'earth' because they came from the ground, and used alkaline to say these metals make a 'basic' substance when they react. So the name helps you remember that these are metals from the earth that form 'basic' (not acidic) oxides today.