precise classification scheme of the known elements at that time. The history of the periodic table reflects over a century of growth in the understanding of chemical properties. The most important event in its history occurred in 1869, when the table was published by Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev, who built upon earlier discoveries by scientists such as Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier and John Newlands. The modern Periodic Table is largely based upon Mendeleevs model. The Periodic Table is an arrangement of elements based on their atomic number, electron configurations, and recurring chemical similarities. Elements are presented in order of increasing atomic number. Different tables give different information, but they will usually include: The atomic number, referring to how many protons an atom of the element has. Oxygens atomic number is 8, so it has 8 protons. The chemical symbol of the element and its name. For example, the chemical symbol of Oxygen is O. The atomic mass, the weight of the atom calculated by adding the number of protons with the number of neutrons. The standard periodic table has 18 columns and 7 rows with two rows of elements below that. Groups, or families are organized in columns with elements with similar chemical properties going in a vertical line numbered 1 to 18. Four significant groups Group 1: the Alkali metals Group 2: the Alkaline Earth Metals Group 17: the Halogens Group 18: the Noble gases
Periods are organized in rows with increasing atomic numbers going left to right and top to bottom, and are numbered 1 to 7. The elements in a period do not share similar chemical properties. The first element in a period is always an extremely active solid and the last element in a period is always an inactive gas.
The Periodic Table can also be organized by categories. The elements can be conveniently classified according to their shared physical and chemical properties into the major categories of metals, metalloids, and non- metals.
Hydrogen is located above the Alkali family, but is not a member of it. Hydrogen can be classified as its own family. It is in gas form at room temperature. It has one proton, one electron, and only one energy level. Hydrogen requires two electrons to fill its valence shell. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the Universe, making up of all matter. Found in the first column of the Periodic Table. The atoms of Alkali metals have one valence electron. Theyre shiny, extremely reactive, and are malleable. They react violently with water. Theyre never found independently in nature since theyre combined with another element. Theyre never found uncombined with another element in nature. They have two valence electrons. Theyre reactive, but not as reactive as the Alkali metals.
Contains the metals that are the most familiar to people, such as: copper, tin, zinc, iron, nickel, gold, and silver. Theyre good conductors of heat and electricity. Their compounds are usually brightly colored and often used to color paints. Transition elements usually have 1 or 2 valence electrons. Transition elements have similar chemical properties with other metals, but their properties do not fit in with any other family. Many transition metals chemically combine with oxygen to form oxides.
Halogens have seven valence electrons, making them the most active non- metals. Theyre never found by themselves in nature. Atoms only need to gain one electron to completely fill their valence shells. They react with Alkali metals to form salts. Noble Gases are colorless gases that are completely unreactive. Theyre inactive because their outermost valence shell is full, already having eight valence electrons. They do not easily combine with other elements to form compounds, so the Noble Gases are called inert. Noble Gases are found in small amounts in the Earths atmosphere.
The seventeen Rare Earth Elements are composed of the Lanthanide series plus Scandium and Yttrium. Despite their name as Rare Earth Elements, they are relatively abundant in the Earths crust. One element from the Lanthanide series and most elements from the Actinide series are called trans- uranium, which means synthetic or man-made. Named after the first element in the family, Boron. Elements have three valence electrons. Includes a metalloid, Boron, but the rest are metals. Includes the most abundant metal in the Earths crust, Aluminum. Atoms have four valence electrons. Includes a non-metal, Carbon, metalloids, and metals. Carbon element is called the basis of life. Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry devoted to Carbon compounds. Named after the element that makes up about 78% of the atmosphere, Nitrogen. Includes non-metals, metalloids, and metals. Atoms have five valence electrons and tend to share electrons when they bond.
Named after Oxygen. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the Earths crust, making up about 46.6% of the Earths mass. It is extremely active and combines with almost all the elements. Atoms have six valence electrons. Most elements share electrons when forming compounds. The table can also be deconstructed into four rectangular blocks. Named according to the subshell in which the last electron resides. s-block consists of the Alkali metals and the Alkaline metals as well as hydrogen and helium. p-block consists of groups 13 to 18, contains all of the metalloids. d-block consists of 3 to 12, contains all of the transition metals. f-block, which is usually the two rows below the rest of the table, consists of the Lanthanides and Actinides.
The Periodic Table can be used to find: The number of protons Number of neutrons Number of electrons The valence electrons The electron configuration The number of shells The atomic number Mass number Atomic mass number Whether the element is a metal, non-metal, or metalloid Whether the element is a solid, liquid, or gas How reactive the element is The physical and chemical properties of the element The chemical bonding possibilities of the element, etc