Answer
Ionic compounds formed from the alkali metals or the alkaline earth metals do not need Roman numerals because these metals have only one common oxidation state, so there is no ambiguity when forming compounds. Alkali metals have an oxidation number of +1 and donate one electron when forming compounds whereas the alkaline earth metals have an oxidation number of +2 and donate two electrons when forming compounds.
Work Step by Step
Ionic compounds formed from the alkali metals or the alkaline earth metals do not need Roman numerals because these metals have only one common oxidation state, so there is no ambiguity when forming compounds. Alkali metals have an oxidation number of +1 and donate one electron when forming compounds whereas the alkaline earth metals have an oxidation number of +2 and donate two electrons when forming compounds.
