Is the Group I and Group II elements usually/always/rarely spectator ions? And are spectator ions always?
Group I and Group II metals can be spectator ions (they would of course be cations), as to how frequently they are, that is difficult to answer. I would say they are commonly spectator ions, but not something you could put into a category like usually always or rarely. Spectator ions should always be included in a balanced chemical equation (while it seems long, until you are very, very experienced, it is improper to drop spectators as they may come into play in the next portion of a multistage reaction–it’s a way of bookkeeping to keep track of species that are present). The exception to this is when you are asked to show only the net ionic equation, or to show half reactions (electrochemistry mostly). In net ionic equations you are only showing what species are changing oxidation states, and/or bond configurations (for example forming a ppt. or gas, which would leave the solution); spectator ions are spectators in that they do not change oxidation states (though they may indirectly
