Which ionic charge is most commonly formed by elements in the alkaline earth metal family?

• A. +2
• B. +1
• C. -1
• D. 0

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the alkaline earth metal family in the periodic table; these are the elements in Group 2, such as beryllium, magnesium, calcium, etc.
2. Recall that elements tend to form ions by losing or gaining electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, often resembling the nearest noble gas.
3. Note that alkaline earth metals have two electrons in their outermost s-orbital (valence shell).
4. Since losing two electrons leads to a full outer shell, these elements commonly lose two electrons to form ions with a charge of +2.
5. Therefore, the most common ionic charge formed by alkaline earth metals is +2.