Group 2 Carbonates

The group 2 elements consist of - Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium and Barium.

The thermal stability of the compounds changes as you go down the group, it requires more heat to thermally decompose them. THEY BECOME MORE STABLE THE LOWER DOWN THE GROUP YOU PROCEED.

All the carbonates in group 2 undergo thermal decomposition to give the METAL OXIDE and CARBON DIOXIDE GAS. Thermal decomposition is the term given to splitting up a compound by heating it.

All group 2 carbonates are WHITE SOLIDS, and so are the oxides that are produced.

If 'X' represents any of the elements:
XCO3(s) ---> XO(s) + CO2(g)
So,
- Beryllium Carbonate:
BeCO3(s) --> BeO(s) + CO2 (g)
- Magnesium Carbonate:
MgCO3(s) --> MgO (s) + CO2 (g)
- Calcium Carbonate
CaCO3(s) --> CaO (s) + CO2 (g)
- Strontium Carbonate
SrCO3(s) --> SrO(s) + CO2 (g)
-Barium Carbonate
BaCO3(s) --> BaO (s) + CO2 (g)

Acid(aq) + Metal Carbonate (s) --> Salt (s) + Carbon Dioxide (g) + Water (l)

EG:

Magnesium Carbonate + Sulfuric Acid --> Magnesium Sulfate + Carbon Dioxide + Water.

-MgCO3 + H2SO4 --> MgSO4 + CO2 + H2O
-BeCO3(s) + 2HCL(aq)--> BeCL(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
-CaCO3(s) + H2SO4 (aq) --> CaSO4(s) + CO2(g) + H2O (l)
-SrCO3(s) + HCL(aq) --> SrCl(s) + CO2(g) + H2O (l)