Unit 13: The Periodic Table
The Periodic Table
The Periodic Table is an arrangement of elements in periods and groups
and in order of increasing proton/atomic number.
The vertical columns in the Periodic Table are called groups.
Atoms of elements in the same group have the same number of
electrons in their outer energy levels.
The horizontal rows in the Periodic Table are called periods.
Silicon is an example of a metalloid. It looks like a metal but is brittle
like a non-metal. It is neither a conductor nor an insulator but make an
excellent semiconductor.
Hydrogen does not fit easily into the trends shown in any one group. So
it is left by itself due to its distinct properties.
Electronic Configuration
• The number of electrons in the outer electron shell corresponds with
the number of the group in the Periodic Table in which the element is
found. For example, the elements that have one electron in their outer
electron shell are all found in Group I.
• The elements in Group 0, however, are an exception to this rule, as
they have two or eight electrons in their outer electron shell.
• The outer electrons are mainly responsible for the chemical properties
of any element and, therefore, elements in the same group have
similar chemical properties.
• The number of occupied shells tells us the period number in which that
element is found in the Periodic Table.
Group I metals
• Group I alkali metals - lithium, sodium and potassium, are relatively
soft solid metals with low melting and boiling points and low
densities. They are highly reactive and are stored under oil to
prevent them reacting with oxygen and water vapour in the air.
These metals have a light-grey, silvery surface when cut with a
knife.
• As we go down the group, physical properties like melting point and
boiling point decreases and density increases.
• Their chemical reactivity increases as we go down the group.
• Group I metals are called alkali metals because they form OH- ions
after reacting with water.
Reaction of Group I metals with water
Reaction of Group I metal with water:
Group I metal + Water -> Metal hydroxide + Hydrogen gas
Universal indicator turns purple due to the alkaline solution formed.
Group VII elements
• Group VII halogens - chlorine, bromine and iodine are diatomic non-
metals.
• As we go down the group, the density increases and the reactivity
decreases.
• At room temperature and pressure
• Vapours of bromine are red-brown. Vapours of iodine are purple.
• In presence of aqueous solutions, bromine shows an orange colour and
iodine yellow-brown.
Group VII elements
Displacement Reaction: When a more reactive element displaces a less
reactive element from its compound, the reaction is called displacement
reaction.
• Example 1: Chlorine is more reactive than bromine and iodine.
Chlorine + Potassium bromide -> Potassium chloride + Bromine
Observation: Colourless to orange
• Example 2: Fluorine is more reactive than chlorine.
Chlorine + Potassium fluoride -> No reaction
Transition Elements
• Transition elements are the elements between Group II and III in the
Periodic
• Table. They:
a) have high densities
b) have high melting points and boiling points
c) form coloured compounds
d) often act as catalysts as elements and in compounds
• Transition elements have ions with variable oxidation numbers,
including iron(II)
• and iron(III).
• They are less reactive than Group I and II elements.
• They are hard and strong.
Group VIII elements
• Group VIII noble gases are unreactive, monatomic gases.
• These noble gases have full outer shell of electrons.
• They do not need to gain, lose or share electrons to form compounds.
• Helium has 2 electrons in its first and only shell. So its outershell is full.
• The other elements of Group VIII have 8 electrons in their outermost
shells. So their full outermost shells also make them stable and
unreactive.
• Helium is used in airships and balloons.
• Argon is used to fill incandescent light bulbs.
• They have low melting and boiling points.
Across a period
• Across a period, the character changes from metallic to non-metallic.
• The bonding type changes from metallic to covalent. In Period 2 and 3,
for example, the first elements have a metallic lattice, then group 4
element shows a giant covalent structure and the rest of the elements
on the right have simple covalent molecular structures.
• There is also a change from basic oxides to acidic oxides as we go
across a period.
• This is because most metal oxides are basic in nature and most non-
metallic oxides are acidic.
