Question

Explain the trends in the thermal stability of the oxosalt of alkaline and alkaline earth metals

Answer 1

The alkali earth metals have higher polarising power than alkali metals. This is because they are smaller in size. Thus, by fajan’s rule they will distort the electron cloud of oxygen more than the alkali metals. They will try harder to shear away the electrons from oxygen. Thus, when heated slightly the bond between the metal atom and oxygen will break.