Section 1: Arranging the elements

Discovering a Pattern:
Russian chemist named Dmitri Mendeleev began looking for patterns among the properties of the
elements. He wrote the names and properties of the elements on pieces of paper. He included density,
appearance, atomic mass, melting point, and information about the compounds formed from the
element. he determined that there was a repeating pattern to the properties of the elements when the
elements were arranged in order of increasing atomic mass.

The Properties of Elements Are Periodic:

Mendeleev saw that the properties of the elements were periodic, meaning they had a regular,
repeating pattern. Many things that are familiar to you are periodic. Mendeleev’s arrangement of the
elements came to be known as a periodic table because the properties of the elements change in a
periodic way.

Predicting Properties of Missing Elements:

Mendeleev recognized that there were elements missing and boldly predicted that elements yet to be
discovered would fill the gaps. He also predicted the properties of the missing elements by using the
pattern of properties in the periodic table. When one of the missing elements, gallium, was discovered a
few years later, its properties matched Mendeleev’s predictions very well. Since that time, all of the
missing elements on Mendeleev’s periodic table have been discovered.

Changing the Arrangement:

He thought that the calculated atomic masses were incorrect and that more accurate atomic masses
would eventually be determined. However, new measurements of the atomic masses showed that the
masses were in fact correct. The mystery was solved in 1914 by a British scientist named Henry Moseley
From the results of his experiments, Moseley was able to determine the number of protons—the atomic
number—in an atom. The periodic law states that the chemical and physical properties of elements are
periodic functions of their atomic numbers.

Classes of Elements:
Metals:
Most metals are good conductors of thermal energy (iron griddle). Most metals are malleable, meaning
that they can be flattened with a hammer without shattering (Aluminum). Most metals are ductile,
which means that they can be drawn into thin wires. All metals are good conductors of electric
current(wires). Metals tend to be shiny(mirror).

Nonmetals:
(Sulfur), like most nonmetals, is not shiny. Nonmetals are not malleable or ductile. In fact, solid
nonmetals, like(carbon). Nonmetals are poor conductors of thermal energy and electric current
(Hydrogen).

Metalloids:
Metalloids, also called semiconductors, (Tellurium) is shiny, but it is also brittle and is easily smashed
into a powder. (Boron) is almost as hard as diamond, but it is also very brittle. At high temperatures,
boron is a good conductor of electric current.

Each Element Is Identified by a Chemical Symbol:

Each square on the periodic table contains information about an element, including its atomic number,
atomic mass, name, and chemical symbol.

Rows Are Called Periods:

Each horizontal row of elements (from left to right) on the periodic table is called a period. A row is
called a period because the properties of elements in a row follow a repeating, or periodic, pattern as
you move across each period. The physical and chemical properties of elements, such as conductivity
and the number of electrons in the outer level of atoms, change gradually from those of a metal to
those of a nonmetal in each period.

Columns Are Called Groups:

Each column of elements (from top to bottom) on the periodic table is called a group. Elements in the
same group often have similar chemical and physical properties. For this reason, sometimes a group is
also called a family.

Section 2: Grouping the Elements

the elements in a family or group in the periodic table often—but not always—share similar properties.
The properties are similar because the atoms of the elements have the same number of electrons in
their outer energy level.

Groups 1 and 2: Very Reactive Metals:

What makes an element reactive? The answer has to do with electrons in the outer energy level of
atoms. Atoms will often take, give, or share electrons with other atoms in order to have a complete set
of electrons in their outer energy level. Elements whose atoms undergo such processes are reactive and
combine to form compounds. Elements whose atoms need to take, give, or share only one or two
electrons to have a filled outer level tend to be very reactive. the naturally occurring compounds must
first be broken apart through chemical changes.

Group 1: Alkali Metals:

Alkali metals are soft enough to be cut with a knife, as shown in Figure 4. The densities of the alkali
metals are so low that lithium, sodium, and potassium are actually less dense than water. Alkali metals
are the most reactive of the metals. This is because their atoms can easily give away the single electron
in their outer level. Sodium chloride (table salt) can be used to add flavor to your food. Sodium
hydroxide can be used to unclog your drains. Potassium bromide is one of several potassium compounds
used in photography.

Group 2: Alkaline-earth Metals:

Alkaline-earth metals are not as reactive as alkali metals because it is more difficult for atoms to give
away two electrons than to give away only one when joining with other atoms. The alkaline-earth metal
magnesium is often mixed with other metals to make low-density materials used in airplanes.
Compounds of alkaline-earth metals also have many uses. For example, compounds of calcium are
found in cement, plaster, chalk.

Groups 3–12: Transition Metals:

Group contains: Metals

Electrons in the outer level: 1 or 2

Reactivity: Less reactive than alkaline-earth metals

Other shared properties: Shiny; good conductors of thermal

energy and electric current; higher densities and melting points

(except for mercury) than elements in Groups 1 and

-The atoms of transition metals do not give away their electrons as easily as atoms of the Group 1 and
Group 2 metals do, making transition metals less reactive than the alkali metals and the alkaline-earth
metals. The properties of the transition metals vary widely.

1-Mercury: is used in thermometers because, unlike the other transition metals, it is in the liquid state
at room temperature.

2-Some transition metals, including the titanium in the artificial hip at right, are not very reactive. But
others, such as iron, are reactive.

3-Many transition metals are silver-colored—but not all! This gold ring proves it!

Lanthanides and Actinides:

-Elements in the first row are called lanthanides because they follow the transition metal lanthanum.
The lanthanides are shiny, reactive metals. Some of these elements are used to make different types of
steel.

-Elements in the second row are called actinides because they follow the transition metal actinium. All
atoms of actinides are radioactive, which means they are unstable. The atoms of a radioactive element
can change into atoms of a different element.
-Elements in the second row are called actinides because they follow the transition metal actinium. All
atoms of actinides are radioactive, which means they are unstable. The atoms of a radioactive element
can change into atoms of a different element.

Groups 13–16: Groups with Metalloids:

Group 13: Boron Group:

Group contains: One metalloid and four metals Electrons in the outer level: 3 Reactivity: Reactive Other
shared properties: Solid at room temperature.

The most common element from Group 13 is aluminum. In fact, aluminum is the most abundant metal
in Earth’s crust.

Group 14: Carbon Group:

Group contains: One nonmetal, two metalloids, and two metals

Electrons in the outer level: 4

Reactivity: Varies among the elements

Other shared properties: Solid at room temperature.

the metalloids silicon and germanium are used to make computer chips. The metal tin is useful because
it is not very reactive.

Group 15: Nitrogen Group:

Group contains: Two nonmetals, two metalloids, and one metal.

Electrons in the outer level: 5 Reactivity: Varies among the elements.

Other shared properties: All but nitrogen is solid at room temperature.

Nitrogen, which is a gas at room temperature, although nitrogen is unreactive, phosphorus is extremely
reactive, in fact, phosphorus is only found combined with other elements in nature.

Group 16: Oxygen Group:

Group contains: Three nonmetals, one metalloid, and one metal

Electrons in the outer level: 6

Reactivity: Reactive

Other shared properties: All but oxygen is solid at room temperature.

Sulfur, another common member of Group 16, can be found as a yellow solid in nature. The principal
use of sulfur is to make sulfuric acid, the most widely used compound in the chemical industry.

Groups 17 and 18: Nonmetals Only:

the elements in Groups 17 and 18 are nonmetals. The elements in Group 17 are the most reactive
nonmetals, but the elements in Group 18 are the least reactive nonmetals. In fact, the elements in
Group 18 normally won’t react at all with other elements.

Group 17: Halogens:

Group contains: Nonmetals

Electrons in the outer level: 7 Reactivity: Very reactive

Other shared properties: Poor conductors of electric current; react violently with alkali metals to form
salts; never found uncombined in nature.

Halogens are very reactive nonmetals because their atoms need to gain only one electron to have a
complete outer level. The atoms of halogens combine readily with other atoms, especially metals, to
gain that missing electron. Although the chemical properties of the halogens are similar, the physical
properties are quite different.

Both chlorine and iodine are used as disinfectants. Chlorine is used to treat water, while iodine mixed
with alcohol is used in hospitals.

Group 18: Noble Gases:

Group contains: Nonmetals

Electrons in the outer level: 8 (2 for helium) Reactivity: Unreactive Other shared properties: Colorless,
odorless gases at room temperature