The Periodic Table of Elements

Atoms & the Periodic Table

The Basics

Metals, Metalloids, & Nonmetals

The majority of the periodic table is composed of elements that are metals at room temperature.

The METALS are pink on the periodic table below

Helpful terms to know:

• Conductivity: a material’s ability to conduct (transfer) electricity or heat
• Malleability: the ability of a metal to be hammered into thin sheets (gold and silver are highly malleable)

The Basics

Metals, Metalloids, & Nonmetals

Nonmetals are found on the right side of the periodic table, with the exception of hydrogen.

The NONMETALS are blue on the periodic table below

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Helpful terms to know:

• Conductivity: a material’s ability to conduct (transfer) electricity or heat
• Malleability: the ability of a metal to be hammered into thin sheets (gold and silver are highly malleable)

The Basics

Metals, Metalloids, & Nonmetals

Most periodic tables will have a dark line zig zagging between the metals and nonmetals. This is called the “stair stepper”

The METALLOIDS are orange on the periodic table below and are found on either side of the stair stepper.

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Helpful terms to know:

• Conductivity: a material’s ability to conduct (transfer) electricity or heat
• Malleability: the ability of a metal to be hammered into thin sheets (gold and silver are highly malleable)

Solids, Liquids, & Gases

Room temperature is considered 22^oC (71.6^oF)

There are only 2 elements that are liquids at room temperature on the table:

• Bromine (Br) and mercury (Hg)
• Gallium, cesium, and francium are liquids at temperatures slightly warmer than room temperature

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There are 11 elements that are gases at room temperature:

• Hydrogen
• Nitrogen
• Oxygen
• Fluorine
• Chlorine
• Helium

There are 79 solids at room temperature

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• Neon
• Argon
• Krypton
• Xenon
• Radon

Horizontal Rows

Vertical Columns

• The horizontal rows on the periodic table are called periods
• Elements in the same period all have the same number of electron orbitals
• There are 7 periods on the periodic table

• The vertical columns on the periodic table are called groups
• Elements in the same group have very similar properties
• There are 18 groups on the table

Group 1: Alkali Metals

Group 2: Alkaline Earth Metals

• Group 1 metals all have one valence electron
• They like to give this electron away so their outer orbitals are full
• This group is the most reactive on the periodic table

• Group 2 elements have two valence electrons and like to give them away so their outer orbitals are full
• These metals are soft and silver but have less metallic character than the Group 1 metals
• With the exception of beryllium, Group 2 metals readily react with water.

Group 3-12: Transition Metals

• Groups 3 through 12 on the periodic table are the transition metals.
• The elements in Groups 3 through 12 act as a bridge between the highly metallic alkali and alkaline earth metals on the left to the nonmetals on the right. These elements help transition between the metals and nonmetals.

Group 17: Halogens

• The halogens are highly reactive because they have 7 valence electrons and only need 1 more to fulfill the outermost orbital.
• Halogens readily bond with alkali metals - they’re the perfect match:
• Alkali metals have one valence electron they want to give away
• Halogens desperately want to gain one more electron

Group 18: Noble Gases

• Group 18 elements are called the noble gases.
• They are “stable” because they don’t like to react with other elements

Noble gases glow when electricity is running through them

Lanthanide & Actinide Series

Inner Transition Metals or Rare Earth Metals

Look at the numbering of the elements at the bottom of the periodic table. Where should they go?

If the rare earth elements were put up where they should be, the periodic table would be much longer.

• To save room, we put them below the main table.

Crash Course Chemistry:

The Periodic Table