Uses of Alkaline Earth Metals

Beryllium

1) It is used in the manufacture of alloys. Copper-beryllium alloys are used in the preparation of high strength springs.

2) Metallic beryllium is used for making Windows of X- ray tubes.

Magnesium

1) It is used to prepare alloy with aluminium, zinc , manganese and tin.

2) Magnesium – aluminium alloy being light in mass are used in construction of aircrafts.

3) Magnesium (powder or ribbon)  is used in flash powders and bulbs, incendiary bombs and signals.

4) A suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water (called milk of magnesia) is used as antacid in medicine.

5) Magnesium hydroxide and magnesium carbonate are used in making toothpaste.

6) Magnesium also used for ignition of thermite charge in aluminothermy and for preparing Grignard’s reagent which are widely used in organic synthesis.

Calcium

Calcium is used in the extraction of metals from their oxides which are difficult to reduce with carbon.

Calcium and barium metals due to their reactivity towards oxygen and nitrogen at elevated temperature have often being used to remove last traces of air from vacuum tubes.

Radium salts are used in radiotherapy.