CHEMISTRY neutral atom.

This, in turn, defines the

electron configuration of the atom and the
THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS nature of its outermost or valence shell. The
 The periodic table is organized so scientists behavior of the valence shell determines
can quickly discern the properties of how readily an atom will form chemical
individual elements such as their mass, bonds and participate in chemical reactions.
electron number, electron configuration and
their unique chemical properties.  The original periodic table of the elements
published by Dimitri Mendeleev in 1869
 The atomic mass of an element is the arranged the elements that were known at
average mass of the atoms of an element the time in order of increasing atomic
measured in atomic mass unit (amu, also weight, since this was prior to the discovery
known as daltons, D). The atomic mass is a of the nucleus and the interior structure of
weighted average of all of the isotopes of the atom. The modern periodic table is
that element, in which the mass of each arranged in order of increasing atomic
isotope is multiplied by the abundance of number instead.
that particular isotope.
 The periodic table names each element, and
 The atomic mass is useful in chemistry gives its elemental symbol, atomic number
when it is paired with the mole concept: and weight. The elements are listed in order
the atomic mass of an element, measured of their atomic number and are divided
in amu, is the same as the mass in grams of according to metals and non-metals. Metals
one mole of an element. can further be categorized into alkali,
alkaline, lanthanoids, actinoids, transition
 The atomic number of a chemical element metals, post transition metals, and
is the number of protons in the nucleus of metalloids. Non-metals are categorized as
an atom of the element. It is the charge noble gases and other non-metals.
number of the nucleus since neutrons carry
no net electrical charge. The atomic number  A metal is an element that readily forms
determines the identity of an element and positive ions (cations) and has metallic
many of its chemical properties. bonds. Metals are sometimes described as a
lattice of positive ions surrounded by a
 The atomic number is also known as the cloud of delocalized electrons.
proton number. It may be represented by
the capital letter Z. The use of capital letter  Alakali metals (IA) are (except for
Z comes from the German word Atomzahl, hydrogen) soft, shiny, low-melting, highly
which means "atomic number". Before the reactive metals, which tarnish when
year 1915, the word Zahl (number) was exposed to air. The name comes from the
used to describe an element's position on fact that when these metals or their oxides
the periodic table. are dissolved in water, a basic (alkaline)
solution results. Because the alkali metals
 The reason the atomic number determines are very reactive, they are seldom (if ever)
the chemical properties of an element is found in their elemental form in nature, and
that the number of protons also determines are usually found as ionic compounds
the number of electrons in an electrically (except for hydrogen).
 - These metals are less reactive
than the neighboring alkali
- Hydrogen typically does not form metal. Magnesium is less active
cations, but instead forms than sodium; calcium is less
compounds through covalent active than potassium; and so
bonding on.
- The alkali metals have only one - These metals become more
valence electron in their highest- active as we go down the
energy orbitals (ns1).  In their column. Magnesium is more
respective periods, they are the active than beryllium; calcium is
largest elements and have the more active than magnesium;
lowest ionization energies.  The and so on.
valence electron is easily lost,
forming an ion with a 1+ charge.  Lanthanides - Lanthanides are the 15
- They form ionic compounds elements that comprise the atomic numbers
(salts) in reaction with the 57 to 71 on the periodic table. The series of
halogens (alkali halides). Sodium elements ranges from lanthanum to
and potassium ions form lutetium. All lanthanide elements are f-block
important constituents of body elements, which means they correlate to
fluids (electrolytes). the 4f electron shell’s filling. Even though
the element called lutetium is a d-block
 Alkaline earth metals (IIA) - The name element, it is mostly considered a d-block
for this specific group of metals comes from element, too. The group of elements as a
their own oxides that, in turn, provide the whole is called lanthanide because the more
basic alkaline solutions. Aside from light elements in their series are similar,
magnesium and beryllium, the alkaline chemically, to lanthanum.
earth metals possess an identifiable flame
color. These flame colors are crimson red  Actinides - Actinides are the 15 chemical
for radium, green for Barium, bright red for elements that feature the numbers 89 to
strontium, and orange for calcium. 103, which correspond to actinium to
- The term alkaline reflects the fact that lawrencium. The name of this series of
many compounds of these metals are elements comes from the element
basic or alkaline. The term earth was actinium. While the majority of actinide
historically used to describe the fact that elements on the actinide elements list are
many of these compounds are insoluble synthetic elements, uranium and thorium
in water. Most of the chemistry of the
can be found in nature in more than just
alkaline-earth metals (Group IIA) can be
trace quantities. One property that these
predicted from the behavior of the alkali
elements are famous for is the
metals (Group IA). Three points should
radioactivity that is found in all of them;
be kept in mind, however.
plutonium, thorium, and uranium are
- The alkaline-earth metals tend to
utilized in nuclear weapons and reactors.
lose two electrons to form M 2+
ions (Be2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and so
on).  Transition metals - Transition metals are
the elements that feature atoms that have
 an incompleted sub-shell. Transition halogens are called "salts". All halogens
metals or elements are unique from other have 7 electrons in their outer shells, giving
elements by their common properties. them an oxidation number of -1. The
One property is that they form a lot of halogens exist, at room temperature, in all
compounds in quite a few states of three states of matter.
oxidation. Another property they are
known for is their tendency to form a lot  Chalcogens - The term "chalcogens" was
of paramagnetic compounds, mainly due derived from the Greek word chalcos ,
meaning "ore formers," since they all are be
to the low reactivity of their d electrons
found in copper ores. The group VIA
that are unpaired.
elements are called chalcogens because
most ores of copper (Greek chalkos) are
 Metalloids - are best defined by two
oxides or sulfides, and such ores contain
criteria. They often create amphoteric
traces of selenium and tellurium.
oxides and behave in the same manner as
semiconductors. Silicon, boron,
How will you use the table?
germanium, tellurium, antimony, and
arsenic are in general classified as One way in which you will use the periodic table is
metalloids. Sometimes, the element called to analyze trends in the elements on the table. The
polonium is also included in the metalloid table itself is organized in a way that it shows
classification, but there is still dispute trends in a variety of properties. These properties
regarding this among the experts. are:
 Atomic Radius – ½ the distance between
 A non-metal - a chemical element (such as the nuclei of two adjacent atoms
boron, carbon, or nitrogen) that lacks the  Ionization Energy – the amount of energy
characteristics of a metal: malleability, needed to cause an electron to be removed
lustrous, conductors of electricity. from an atom while in the gas phase
 Electron Affinity – An atom's ability to take
 Noble gases - They are the most stable due in an electron
to having the maximum number of valence  Electronegativity – An atom's ability to form
electrons their outer shell can hold. a bond
Therefore, they rarely react with other
elements since they are already stable.
- Other characteristics of the noble PERIODIC TRENDS
gases are that they all conduct 1. ELECTRONEGATIVITY TRENDS
electricity, fluoresce, are Electronegativity measures an atom's
odorless and colorless, and are tendency to attract and form bonds with
used in many conditions when a electrons. This property exists due to the
stable element is needed to electronic configuration of atoms.
maintain a safe and constant
environment. From left to right across a period of
 Halogens - The halogens are five non- elements, electronegativity increases.
metallic elements found in group 17 of the If the valence shell of an atom is less than
periodic table. The term "halogen" means half full, it requires less energy to lose an
"salt-former" and compounds containing electron than to gain one. Conversely, if the
 valence shell is more than half full, it is  The ionization energy of the
easier to pull an electron into the valence elements within a period generally
shell than to donate one. increases from left to right. This is
From top to bottom down a group, due to valence shell stability.
electronegativity decreases. This is  The ionization energy of the
because atomic number increases down a elements within a group generally
group, and thus there is an increased decreases from top to bottom. This
distance between the valence electrons and is due to electron shielding.
nucleus, or a greater atomic radius.  The noble gases possess very high
Important exceptions of the above ionization energies because of their
rules include the noble gases, full valence shells as indicated in the
lanthanides, and actinides. The noble graph. Note that helium has the highest
gases possess a complete valence shell and ionization energy of all the elements.
do not usually attract electrons. The
lanthanides and actinides possess more 3. ELECTRON AFFINITY TREND
complicated chemistry that does not As the name suggests, electron affinity is the ability
generally follow any trends. Therefore, of an atom to accept an electron. Unlike
noble gases, lanthanides, and actinides do electronegativity, electron affinity is a quantitative
not have electronegativity values. measurement of the energy change that occurs
when an electron is added to a neutral gas atom.
As for the transition metals, although
The more negative the electron affinity value, the
they have electronegativity values, higher an atom's affinity for electrons.
there is little variance among them
across the period and up and down a  Electron affinity increases from left
group. This is because their metallic to right within a period. This is
properties affect their ability to attract caused by the decrease in atomic
electrons as easily as the other elements. radius.
2. IONIZATION ENERGY TRENDS  Electron affinity decreases from top
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove to bottom within a group. This is
an electron from a neutral atom in its gaseous caused by the increase in atomic radius.
phase. Conceptually, ionization energy is the
opposite of electronegativity. The lower this energy 4. ATOMIC RADIUS TREND
is, the more readily the atom becomes a cation.
The atomic radius is one-half the distance between
Another factor that affects ionization energy the nuclei of two atoms (just like a radius is half
is electron shielding. Electron shielding describes the diameter of a circle). This distance is measured
the ability of an atom's inner electrons to shield its in picometers.
positively-charged nucleus from its valence
electrons. When moving to the right of a period,  Atomic radius decreases from left to
the number of electrons increases and the strength right within a period. This is caused by
of shielding increases. As a result, it is easier for the increase in the number of protons and
electrons across a period. One proton has a
valence shell electrons to ionize, and thus the
greater effect than one electron; thus,
ionization energy decreases down a group. Electron electrons are pulled towards the nucleus,
shielding is also known as screening. resulting in a smaller radius.
  Atomic radius increases from top to
bottom within a group. This is caused
by electron shielding.

5. MELTING POINT TRENDS

The melting points is the amount of energy
required to break a bond(s) to change the solid
phase of a substance to a liquid. Generally, the
stronger the bond between the atoms of an
element, the more energy required to break that
bond. Because temperature is directly proportional
to energy, a high bond dissociation energy
correlates to a high temperature. Melting points are
varied and do not generally form a distinguishable
trend across the periodic table.

 Metals generally possess a high

melting point.
 Most non-metals possess low melting
points.
 The non-metal carbon possesses the
highest boiling point of all the
elements. The semi-metal boron also
possesses a high melting point.

6. METALLIC CHARACTER TRENDS

The metallic character of an element can be
defined as how readily an atom can lose an
electron.

 Metallic characteristics decrease from

left to right across a period. This is
caused by the decrease in radius (caused by
Zeff, as stated above) of the atom that
allows the outer electrons to ionize more
readily.
 Metallic characteristics increase down
a group. Electron shielding causes the
atomic radius to increase thus the outer
electrons ionizes more readily than
electrons in smaller atoms.
 Metallic character relates to the ability to
lose electrons, and nonmetallic character
relates to the ability to gain electrons.