Classification of elements:
The grouping of elements according to their similar characteristics
Importance of Classification of elements:
Classification makes the study of properties of elements easy and fast.
The study of the properties of a typical element of a particular group enables us
to assess the properties of other elements of that group.
Periodic table: The table or chart which is obtained by arranging elements on the
basis of their similarities and dissimilarities
Mendeleev’s Periodic Law: “The physical and chemical properties of elements are the
periodic functions of their atomic weights.”
It means that when elements are arranged on the basis of increasing atomic weights, the
elements having similar physical and chemical properties are repeated after a certain
interval.
Mendeleev’s Periodic Table: Table or chart obtained by arranging elements on the basis
of their increasing atomic weight
Characteristics of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table:
Mendeleev arranged 63 elements on the basis of increasing atomic masses.
There are six horizontal rows i.e. periods and eight vertical columns i.e. groups.
Mendeleev left gaps for undiscovered elements e.g. Scandium (named as eka-Boron *1),
Gallium (named as eka-Aluminium *2), Germanium (named as eka-Silicon *3),
Technitium (named as eka-Manganese *4).
Inert gases were not discovered, so there was no separate place for them.
Merits of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table:
It was the first scientific as well as systematic classification of elements, which
made their study easy, fast and systematic.
Many elements were not discovered during the time of Mendeleev. So, he left
gaps for those elements. When these elements were discovered later on, they were
placed in these gaps, without disturbing the existing elements.
The atomic masses of elements like beryllium, platinum, gold etc. were not
confirmed before Mendeleev’s Periodic Table came into existence. With the help
of this table, these were corrected by placing them in their proper position.
Mendeleev’s periodic table encouraged subsequent scientists to discover new
elements as he left gaps for them.
Demerits of Mendeleev’s Periodic Table:
Mendeleev could not arrange hydrogen properly because it sometimes gains electrons like
halogens (group VIIA) and sometimes it loses electrons like alkali metals (group IA).
He couldn’t arrange isotopes properly as they have the same atomic number but different
atomic masses.
In some cases, elements with more atomic masses were placed before those with less
atomic masses. E.g. Ar with atomic mass 39.9 was to be placed before K with mass 39.1
Some dissimilar elements were placed in the same group e.g. very less reactive coinage
metals( Cu, Ag & Au) and highly reactive alkali metals (Li, Na, K) were placed in the
same group.
Lanthanides and Actinides don’t have a proper position in the periodic table.
Modern Periodic Law:
Henery Moseley’s periodic law states, “The physical and chemical properties
of elements are the periodic functions of their atomic numbers.”
It means that when elements are arranged on the basis of their increasing atomic
number, the elements with similar properties are repeated after a regular
interval.
Modern Periodic Table: Table or chart obtained by arranging elements on the
basis of their increasing atomic numbers
Characteristics of Modern Periodic Table:
The 118 elements are arranged in order of their increasing atomic number.
There are 7 horizontal rows called periods. These are divided into 4 types on
the basis of the number of elements present. They are:
Characteristics of Modern Periodic Table (Contd…):
There are 18 vertical columns called groups. There are 8 groups i.e. groups IA, IB, IIA,
IIB…..VIIIA (0) and VIII B (VIII). Group VIII B (VIII) has three vertical columns.
According to the new grouping system, there are 18 groups.
Noble/ Inert gases are placed in a separate group i.e. group VIIIA (0 or 18) at the extreme
right side of the table.
Metals are kept at the left hand side, non-metals at the right hand side and metalloids
between metals and non-metals i.e. next to the staircase line e.g. B, Si, Ge, As, Te
The lanthanides and the actinides are placed separately at the bottom in the two rows.
They belong to group III B (3) & f-block.
Special Groups & Periods:
Lanthanides: The 15 elements from Lanthanum(57La) to Lutetium(71Lu); they form complex
salts
Actinides: The 15 elements from Actinium (89Ac) to Lawrencium (103Lr); they are radioactive
in nature.
Alkali metals: Elements present in group IA (1) of the modern periodic table. e.g. Li, Na, K
etc.
Metals which react with water to form alkali and hydrogen
2Li +H2O ->2 LiOH+H2
Alkaline Earth Metals: Elements present in group IIA (2) of the modern periodic table. e.g.
Be, Mg, Ca
Oxides of these metals are abundant in the earth’s crust which when dissolved in water are
alkaline in nature
MgO+H2O -> Mg(OH)2
Halogens: Elements present in group VIIA(17) of the modern periodic table e.g. F,
Cl, Br, I
They form corresponding halides (salts) when reacted with alkali metals.
2Na+Cl2 ->2NaCl
Inert/Noble gases: Elements present in group VIIIA (0 or 18) of the modern
periodic table having stable electronic configuration and don’t take part in chemical
reaction e.g. He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn etc.
Merits of the Modern Periodic Table:
It is based on the atomic number of elements which is the most fundamental property
of the atom.
It has elements arranged according to their electronic configuration. So, it explains
why elements in a group have similar properties.
It gives a proper explanation for the chemical periodicity in the properties of elements.
The periodicity in properties arises due to periodicity in the electronic configuration of
elements.
It removes all the defects of Mendeleev’s periodic table. e.g. the position of isotopes,
wrong order of some elements on basis of their atomic masses, positioning of
dissimilar elements.
The elements have been clearly separated as normal, transition, inner- transition
(Lanthanides & Actinides) and noble gases. Metals, non-metals & metalloids are also
Separated.
Demerits of the Modern Periodic Table:
Position of Hydrogen:
Hydrogen is an electropositive s-block element. It donates 1 valence electron like other alkali
metals. Hence, it is placed in Group IA (1) but it is a non-metal and shows similar properties to
halogens {Group VIIA(17)} i.e. it is a diatomic gas and has valency 1. So, position of Hydrogen
is still not well defined
Position of Helium:
On basis of electronic configuration, He should be placed in group IIA (2) but it has been placed
in group 0 due to its inert nature.
Subshells(or orbitals):
Area in the main shell where there is maximum probability of finding an electron
Aufbau Principle {Aufbau (German): To build up}
According to Aufbau principle, “Electrons are filled in various sub-shells in order of
their increasing energy i.e. from the lower energy level to the higher energy level.”
i.e. 1s, 2s 2p, 3s 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p……….. (10A/C/B/D)
Electronic Configuration: the distribution of electrons in different shells and subshells (10E)
Classification of Elements based on Electronic Configuration:
s-block elements:
The block of alkali metals (group IA or 1) i.e. Li to Fr and alkaline earth metals (group IIA
or 2) i.e. Be to Ra which are present at the left hand side of the periodic table
These elements have the last electron in s-subshell
p- block elements:
the block of metals, non-metals, metalloids and inert gases which are
present in group IIIA to VIIIA(0) constitute p-block elements e.g. B, C, O,
N, F, Ne etc.
present at the right hand side of the modern periodic table
these elements have the last electron in p-subshell
Elements belonging to s-block and p-block are “normal” or
“representative” elements.
d-block elements:
the block of transitional metals which is present in middle part of the modern
periodic table
includes elements of group IB to VIIIB i.e. 3 to 12
these elements have last electron in d-subshell
their properties are midway between those of s-block & p-block, so they are
called “Transitional elements”.
f-block elements:
the block of lanthanides and actinides present below the main periodic table;
As these elements lie within the transitional elements, they are called “inner
transitional elements”.
the last electron of the valence shell of these elements enters f-subshell
Memory Tips:
Period= Number of main shells used
Group= Total number of valence electrons
Valency:
Metals= elements of Group IA(1), IIA(2), IIIA(13)
Non-metals= elements of Group IVA(14), VA(15), VIA(16),VIIA(17), VIIIA(18)
Inert/Noble gases=Group VIIIA (0 or 18)
Characteristics of Group
The elements of a group show similar chemical properties but there is a gradual
variation in the physical properties of the elements in a group.
Atomic Size: From top to bottom in a group, the size of atom increases as a new
shell to the atom.
Valence Electrons(V.E) : Number of valence electrons in a group are same
Valency: All elements in a group generally have the same valency
Valency of metal (IA to IIIA)= No. of V.E
Valency of non-metal (IVA to VIIIA)= 8 - No. of V.E
Metallic Character: increases from top to bottom in a group.
Electropositivity is the tendency of an atom to lose its valence electrons
and gain positive charge.
On moving down the group, atomic size increases.
So, the V.Es are far from the nucleus and the force of attraction between
protons in the nucleus and valence electrons decrease.
Hence, the elements down the group can easily lose their V.E to form
positive ions i.e. electropositivity and reactivity increases down the group.
E.g. K>Na>Li
Electronegativity & reactivity of non-metals:
Electronegativity is the tendency of an atom to gain electrons and
gain negative charge.
On moving down the group, atomic size increases.
So, the force of attraction between protons in the nucleus and
electron being gained decreases.
Hence, the elements down the group have difficulty to gain
electron to form negative ions i.e. electronegativity and reactivity
decreases down the group. E.g. F>Cl>Br>I
