3/9/22, 12:59 PM Lesson - The Periodic Table - Study Island

The Periodic Table

The Periodic Table

The periodic table is a chart displaying information about the elements.
Elements are arranged in the table in a specific pattern that helps to
predict their properties and to show their similarities and differences.

The periodic table was developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. It provides a powerful
tool for studying the elements and how they combine.

The following video tells the story of how Mendeleev was able to arrange the elements
into the periodic table based on their physical and chemical properties. Click on the play
button to watch the video.

0:00 / 4:56

Clip provided by Education Clip Library with permission from ITN Source

There are over 100 known elements, so it is necessary to use a systematic method to
organize them. The periodic table indicates each element's atomic symbol, atomic
number, and average atomic mass (also called atomic weight).

Today, the elements of the periodic table are ordered by atomic number. For example, the
first three elements are hydrogen, helium, and lithium, which have atomic numbers 1, 2,
and 3, respectively. The placement of an element on the periodic table gives clues about
the element's chemical and physical properties, including its melting point, density,
hardness, and thermal and electrical conductivities.

Periods
The periodic table is so named because it is organized into periods. A period is defined
as an interval required for a cycle to repeat itself. In the periodic table, the periods are the
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3/9/22, 12:59 PM Lesson - The Periodic Table - Study Island

horizontal rows that extend from left to right.

Both the atomic number and the atomic mass of the elements increase moving across the
table from left to right and down the table from top to bottom.

The cycle being repeated in the periodic table is the filling of energy levels. Elements on
the far left side of the period only have one electron in the highest energy level. The
elements on the far right side of the period have filled all of their energy levels. The cycle
begins again as the next element on the periodic table starts to fill the next energy level.
Electrons that are in the outermost energy level of an atom are called valence electrons.
The position of an element within a period can help to determine the element's electron
configuration and number of valence electrons. The element on the far left side of a period
has one valence electron, and the number of valence electrons within a period increases
from left to right.

These are periods 2 and 3 of the periodic table. The numbers above the elements indicate the
number of valance electrons for that column. The numbers increase from left to right.

All of the elements in one period have the same number of energy levels. For example,
since hydrogen and helium are in period 1, they only have electrons in the 1st energy
level. Since potassium, calcium, and bromine are in the 4th row or period, their outermost
electrons are in the 4th energy level.

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3/9/22, 12:59 PM Lesson - The Periodic Table - Study Island

Groups and Families

The division of elements into vertical groups by column creates families of elements.
Elements in the same group have the same number of valence electrons, which causes
the elements to have similar chemical properties.
For example, lithium (Li) is in group 1 and has 1 valence electron. Lithium can easily
combine with chlorine (Cl), which is in group 17 and has 7 valence electrons. The two
elements form lithium chloride (LiCl). Since sodium (Na) is also in group 1, it also has 1
valence electron and has similar chemical properties to lithium. Sodium can also combine
easily with chlorine and form sodium chloride (NaCl).
Some individual groups (or families) in the periodic table also have special names. The
properties of these groups are described below:

Group 1: Alkali metals– All of the elements in group 1 of the periodic table (except
hydrogen) are alkali metals. They have 1 valence electron and are the most reactive
metals. They are soft metallic solids with low melting points.

Group 2: Alkaline earth metals– All of the elements in group 2 of the periodic table are
alkaline earth metals. They have 2 valence electrons and though they are also highly
reactive, they are less reactive than alkali metals. They are hard metallic solids and have
higher melting points than alkali metals.

Group 17: Halogens– All of the elements in group 17 are halogens. They are 1 valence
electron short of filling up their outermost energy levels, and they have low boiling points
and low melting points.

Group 18: Noble gases– All of the elements in group 18 are noble gases. They tend to be
stable and unreactive. In general, noble gases do not react or combine with any element.
This lack of reactivity is because they have full outermost energy levels.

Groups 3-12: Transition metals– Elements located in groups 3-12 on the periodic table
are known as transition elements. These elements tend to be hard metallic solids, and have
high heat and electrical conductivities.

Metals, Nonmetals & Metalloids

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3/9/22, 12:59 PM Lesson - The Periodic Table - Study Island

The elements in the periodic table can be subdivided into metals, nonmetals, and
metalloids. The stairstep line that begins between boron (B) and aluminum (Al) and moves
down and to the right is the dividing line between metals and nonmetals.
This division is shown by the different colors in the periodic table below.

Metals are the elements to the left of the stairstep. Metals are typically dense solids with a
shiny luster. They tend to form positive ions by losing their valence electrons, and are
capable of conducting electricity. Metals can combine with nonmetals to form ionic
compounds.

Nonmetals are elements to the right of the stairstep plus hydrogen. They tend to have low
densities, a dull luster, low melting points, and do not conduct electricity. They are often
brittle. Nonmetals can combine with metals to form ionic compounds, by gaining the metals'
electrons and becoming a negative ion. Nonmetals can combine with other nonmetals to
form molecular compounds by sharing their valence electrons.

Metalloids are the elements along the stairstep that have some of the properties of both
metals and nonmetals. The metalloid elements are shown on the periodic table below.
Some of these elements, such as Si and Ge, are semiconductors. Exceptions to the
stairstep rule include Al and Po. However, Po is sometimes identified as a metalloid, and At
is sometimes identified as a nonmetal.

The periodic table is very carefully organized. A wealth of information can be found in the
periodic table if one understands how to use it.

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