ern ici um ▁atoms . ▁Form er ly ▁this ▁group ▁was ▁named ▁II B ▁( pr on ounced ▁as ▁" group ▁two ▁B ", ▁as ▁the ▁" II " ▁is ▁a ▁Roman ▁numer al ) ▁by ▁C AS ▁and ▁old ▁I UP AC ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁three ▁group ▁ 1 2 ▁elements ▁that ▁occur ▁naturally ▁are ▁z inc , ▁cad m ium ▁and ▁mer cur y . ▁They ▁are ▁all ▁widely ▁used ▁in ▁electric ▁and ▁electronic ▁applications , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁various ▁allo ys . ▁The ▁first ▁two ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁share ▁similar ▁properties ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁solid ▁met als ▁under ▁standard ▁conditions . ▁Mercur y ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁metal ▁that ▁is ▁a ▁liquid ▁at ▁room ▁temperature . ▁While ▁z inc ▁is ▁very ▁important ▁in ▁the ▁bio chem istry ▁of ▁living ▁organ isms , ▁cad m ium ▁and ▁mer cur y ▁are ▁both ▁highly ▁to xic . ▁As ▁cop ern ici um ▁does ▁not ▁occur ▁in ▁nature , ▁it ▁has ▁to ▁be ▁synth es ized ▁in ▁the ▁labor atory . ▁ ▁Phys ical ▁and ▁atomic ▁properties ▁Like ▁other ▁groups ▁of ▁the ▁periodic ▁table , ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁group ▁ 1 2 ▁show ▁patterns ▁in ▁its ▁electron ▁configuration , ▁especially ▁the ▁outer most ▁shell s , ▁which ▁result ▁in ▁tr ends ▁in ▁their ▁chemical ▁behavior : ▁ ▁The ▁group ▁ 1 2 ▁elements ▁are ▁all ▁soft , ▁diam agnet ic , ▁div al ent ▁met als . ▁They ▁have ▁the ▁lowest ▁mel ting ▁points ▁among ▁all ▁transition ▁met als . ▁Z