human
What are the alkaline earth metals in the periodic table and how do they compare to the alkali metals in terms of physical properties and reactivity?
gpt
Alkaline earth metals are metallic elements in group 2 of the periodic table which are harder than the alkali metals and are also less reactive.
Explanation: The elements in group 2, such as magnesium and calcium, exhibit certain distinct characteristics in comparison to group 1 alkali metals.