What is a characteristic of the hydroxides formed by group 2 metals?

The characteristic of the hydroxides formed by group 2 metals that is highlighted by the correct answer relates to their solubility in water. As you move down the group from beryllium to barium, the solubility of the hydroxides increases. Beryllium hydroxide, for instance, is only sparingly soluble in water, whereas magnesium hydroxide is also only slightly soluble. However, by the time you reach strontium hydroxide and barium hydroxide, both are significantly more soluble. This trend is due to the increasing atomic size and decreasing lattice energy as the metal ions become larger, allowing water molecules to more easily solvate and separate the hydroxide ions from the metal ions.

The other options reflect common misconceptions about group 2 metal hydroxides. Not all hydroxides are soluble in water; for example, calcium hydroxide does have some solubility but is not as soluble as those of the heavier metals. The suggestion of them being acidic is incorrect, as group 2 hydroxides are basic in nature, forming alkaline solutions when dissolved in water. Lastly, the notion that they form colored solutions is not accurate, as most group 2 hydroxides form either colorless or faintly colored solutions, not