Final answer:
Calcium (Ca) is the element located in Group 2, Period 4 of the periodic table, which categorizes it as an alkaline earth metal with characteristic properties of shininess and conductivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The element located in Group 2, Period 4 of the periodic table is Calcium (Ca). Group 2 elements are known as the alkaline earth metals, which include beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). These elements are shiny and good conductors of heat and electricity. They have similar chemical properties, such as reacting with water at room temperature to produce hydroxides and hydrogen gas. Calcium, specifically, is essential to many biological processes in humans and other organisms, and it forms compounds commonly found in rocks, such as limestone and marble.
Lithium (Li), on the other hand, belongs to Group 1, which comprises the alkali metals, famously known for their high reactivity and occurrence in compounds like table salt. Alkali metals, like lithium, are soft, shiny, and have one electron in their outermost shell. Learning about the placement of elements on the periodic table helps in understanding their properties and reactivities.