Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Both $$CaCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O$$ and $$MgCl_2 \cdot 8H_2O$$ undergo dehydration on heating.
Statement II: BeO is amphoteric, whereas the oxides of other elements in the same group are acidic.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

We need to evaluate both statements about Group 2 (alkaline earth metal) compounds.

Consider Statement I: Both $$CaCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O$$ and $$MgCl_2 \cdot 8H_2O$$ undergo dehydration on heating. First, the standard hydrate of magnesium chloride is $$MgCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O$$, not $$MgCl_2 \cdot 8H_2O$$, so the formula given in the statement itself is incorrect. Moreover, when $$CaCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O$$ is heated, it does not undergo simple dehydration to give anhydrous $$CaCl_2$$. Instead, upon heating it first partially dehydrates but at higher temperatures it undergoes hydrolysis, releasing HCl gas and forming calcium oxychloride or $$CaO$$. Similarly, $$MgCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O$$ on heating undergoes hydrolysis: $$MgCl_2 \cdot 6H_2O \xrightarrow{\Delta} MgO + 2HCl + 5H_2O$$, rather than simple dehydration to anhydrous $$MgCl_2$$. To obtain anhydrous $$MgCl_2$$, the hydrate must be heated in a stream of dry HCl gas to prevent hydrolysis. Therefore, Statement I is false.

Consider Statement II: BeO is amphoteric, whereas the oxides of other elements in the same group are acidic. It is true that BeO is amphoteric — it reacts with both acids and bases. However, the oxides of other Group 2 elements (MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO) are basic in nature, not acidic. In fact, their basic character increases going down the group, with BaO being strongly basic. Therefore, Statement II is also false because it incorrectly states that other Group 2 oxides are acidic.

Since both statements are false, the correct answer is Option (2): Both statement I and statement II are false.