What colour and appearance do freshly cut alkaline-earth metals have?

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When freshly cut, alkaline-earth metals exhibit a gray-white lustre. While they share this general appearance, the specific colour of each element can be categorized as follows:1

  • Beryllium: Gray1
  • Magnesium: Silvery white1
  • Calcium: Silvery white1
  • Strontium: Silvery white1
  • Barium: Silvery white1
  • Radium: Bright white1

It is important to note that these metals are highly reactive and will tarnish readily when exposed to air, particularly the heavier members of the group.1