alkaline earth

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. any of the oxides of barium, radium, strontium, calcium, and, sometimes, magnesium.

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alkaline earth British  

noun

1. Also called: alkaline earth metal.   alkaline earth element.  any of the divalent electropositive metals beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, belonging to group 2A of the periodic table

2. an oxide of one of the alkaline earth metals

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Etymology

Origin of alkaline earth

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

alkaline earth

The only result that popped up pertained to chemistry: specifically, to the periodic table and the atomic numbers of the alkaline earth metals.

From New York Times ● May 21, 2023

Because of this charge increase, the atoms of the alkaline earth metals are smaller and have higher first ionization energies than the alkali metals within the same period.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

Although they are insoluble in pure water, alkaline earth carbonates dissolve readily in water containing carbon dioxide because hydrogen carbonate salts form.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

The alkaline earth metals occur as silicates and, with the exception of beryllium, as carbonates and sulfates.

From Textbooks ● Feb. 14, 2019

It must have been quiescent for some time and then the thin skin of alkaline earth formed over it.

From The Boy Inventors' Radio Telephone by Richard Bonner