Compounds of alkaline earth metals are generally less soluble in water than that of alkali metals because of:-

Options

A. High hydration energy
B. More covalent character
C. More ionic character
D. Less lattice energy

Answer

To solve the question regarding why compounds of alkaline earth metals are generally less soluble in water than those of alkali metals, we can break down the reasoning into clear steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Groups**:
- Alkaline metals (Group 1) include elements like lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K).
- Alkaline earth metals (Group 2) include elements like magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and barium (Ba).

2. **Understand Solubility**:
- Solubility in water is influenced by the ionic character of the compounds. The more ionic a compound is, the more soluble it tends to be in water.

3. **Covalent vs Ionic Character**:
- As we move down the group in the periodic table, the size of the cations increases. Larger cations have a greater tendency to polarize the anions, leading to an increase in covalent character.
- Alkaline earth metals form compounds that are generally more covalent compared to those formed by alkali metals.

4. **Comparison of Solubility**:
- The compounds of alkali metals are predominantly ionic due to their smaller size and higher charge density, which leads to higher solubility in water.
- In contrast, the compounds of alkaline earth metals, which exhibit more covalent character, are less soluble in water.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the reason why compounds of alkaline earth metals are generally less soluble in water than those of alkali metals is due to their increased covalent character.

### Final Answer:
The compounds of alkaline earth metals are generally less soluble in water than those of alkali metals because they exhibit greater covalent character.