How Do You Read

The Periodic Table of the Elements?

Protons + Neutrons

Rows are called PeriodsThe physical and chemical

properties of elements in a row follow a repeating, or periodic, pattern as you move across the

period.

Columns are called GroupsElements in the same group often have similar chemical and physical properties. For this reason, a group is also

called a family.

What is Group 1?

• Group 1 = Alkalai Metals

• Group contains - Metals

• Electrons in outer level - 1

• Reactivity? - Very Reactive

• Other shared properties - softness; color of silver; shininess; low density

What is Group 2?• Group 2 =

Alkalaline-Earth Metals

• Group contains - Metals

• Electrons in outer level - 2

• Reactivity? - Reactive, but not as much as Group 1

• Other shared properties - color of silver; higher densities than alkali metals

What are Groups 3 - 12?• Groups 3-12 =

Transition Metals• Group contains - Metals• Electrons in outer level -

1 or 2• Reactivity? - less

reactive than group 2 metals

• Other shared properties - shininess; good conductors of thermal energy and electric current; higher densities and melting points than elements in Groups 1 and 2 (except for mercury)

What are the Lanthanides & Actinides?

• Transition metals from Periods 6 & 7• Appear as two rows below the table• 1st row are the Lanthanides (named after

Lanthanum #57)• 2nd row are Actinides (named after Actinium #89) • Placed here so that the Periodic table wouldn’t

be so wide.

What is Group 13: Boron group?

• Group 13 = Boron Group

• Group contains - 1 metalloid & 5 metals

• Electrons in outer level - 3

• Reactivity? - Reactive

• Other shared properties - solids at room temperature

What is Group 14: Carbon group?

• Group 14 = Carbon group

• Group contains - 1 nonmetal, 2 metalloids & 3 metals

• Electrons in outer level - 4

• Reactivity? - varies among the elements

• Other shared properties - solids at room temperature

What is Group 15: Nitrogen group?• Group 15 = Nitrogen

group• Group contains - 2

non-metals, 2 metalloids & 2 metals

• Electrons in outer level - 5

• Reactivity? - varies among the elements

• Other shared properties - solids at room temperature (except for Nitrogen - gas)

What is Group 16: Chalcogens?

• Group 16 = Chalcogens or the Oxygen group

• Group contains - 3 nonmetals, 1 metalloid & 1 metal

• Electrons in outer level - 6

• Reactivity? - varies among the elements

• Other shared properties - all but Oxygen are solid at room temperature

What is Group 17: Halogens?

• Group 17 = Halogens• Group contains -

nonmetals• Electrons in outer level

- 7• Reactivity? - Very

Reactive• Other shared properties

- poor conductors of electric current, violent reactions with alkalai metals to form salts, never pure in nature

What is Group 18: Noble Gases?

• Group 18 - Noble Gases

• Group contains - nonmetals

• Electrons in outer level - 8

• Reactivity? - unreactive

• Other shared properties - colorless, oderless gases at room temperature

Why is Hydrogen all alone on the Periodic Table?

• Electrons in outer level - 1

• Reactivity? - Reactive

• Other properties - colorless, oderless gas at room temperature; low density; explosive reactions with oxygen

• Properties do not match any other group

Next up - Unit 4 on Chemical Bonding!