Periodic Table, Periodic Properties And Variations of Properties

Contribution in formation of Periodic Table:

Dobereiner- started grouping 3 elements(triad) such that atomic

weight of middle is average of other two. Ex: Ca , Sr and Ba are
traids.
Newlands-arranged elements in increasing order of atomic masses.
Every Eighth element has same properties as that of first element.

Mendeleev- first periodic table of elements based on atomic

masses. Divided 63 elements into groups and periods.

Henry Mosely – Father of Modern periodic Table. Modern Periodic

law “ the physical and chemical properties of element are periodic
functions of their atomic number”
Why Atomic number is Fundamental property ?
Atomic number is equal to the number of electrons in the energy
shells of an atom. Physical and chemical properties of an element
depend on the number of electrons and their arrangement. Hence
atomic number is the fundamental property of an element.

A tabular arrangement of elements in groups (vertical columns) and

periods (horizontal rows) highlighting the regular trends in
properties of elements is called a PERIODIC TABLE.

Periodicity: The properties that reappear at regular intervals, or in

which there is gradual variation (i.e., increase or decrease) at
regular intervals, are called 'periodic properties' and the
phenomenon is known as the periodicity of elements.
Cause of periodicity: The cause of periodicity is the recurrence of
similar electronic configuration i.e., having the same number of
electrons in the outermost orbit.

Features of the Modern Periodic Table:

Groups- There are 18 vertical columns showing the number of
electrons in the outermost shell.
Group 1: Alkali Metals. Ex- Li,Na,
Group 2: Alkaline Earth Metals. Ex- Be, Mg
Group 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 12 are transition elements. They have
2 outermost shells incomplete.
Group 13: Boron family. Ex-Al,Ga
Group 14: Carbon family. Ex -Si, Ge
Group 15 : Nitrogen family. Ex- P, As.
Group 16 : Oxygen family(Chalcogens meaning ore forming)Ex-S
Group 17 : halogens (salt formers)Ex-Cl, Br
Group 18 : inert/ noble gases. Ex- He, Ne
Main / representative Elements : Group 1,2,13,14,15,16 and 17.
Periods : 7 horizontal rows. It represent the no of shells.

Periodic Properties
i) Atomic Size: It is the distance between the centre of the nucleus
of an atom and its outermost shell.
a) Number of Shells: An increase in the number of shells increases
the size of an atom because the distance between the outermost
shell and the nucleus increases.
b) Nuclear Charge: It is the positive charge present in the nucleus
of an atom, which is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus,
i.e., the atomic number.

TRENDS:
Across a period (Left 2 Right) : Decrease- due to increase in
nuclear Charge
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom) : Increase-New shells are added.
ii) Metallic Character: Those elements, which have a tendency to
lose their valence electrons (electrons of the outermost orbit) and
form a positive ion, are considered metals. They are good reducing
agents.
TRENDS:
Across a period (Left 2 Right) : Decreases due to Increase in
nuclear charge
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom) : Increase. Due to Increase in Atomic
size and nuclear charge . Li least metallic.

iii) Non-Metallic Character: Those elements which have a tendency

to gain electrons, in order to attain octet in their outermost orbit,
are considered as non-metals.
TRENDS:
Across a period (Left 2 Right):Increases
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom): Decreases

Chemical reactivity
The reactivity of elements depends upon their tendency to lose or
gain electrons to complete their outermost orbit. Greater the
tendency to lose electron(s), greater is the reactivity in the case of
metals.
Trends
Across a period :
On moving from left to right in a period, the chemical reactivity of
elements first decreases and then increases.
Down a group:
The tendency of losing electrons increases down the group.
The most reactive metal is at the bottom of group 1.(Caescium)

The chemical reactivity of non-metals decreases on going down the

group as it depends upon the tendency to gain electrons, which
decreases down the group.
The most reactive non-metal is at the top of group 17 i.e., Fluorine.

Gradation in physical properties

The melting and boiling points of metals decrease on going down
the group.
The melting and boiling points of non-metals increase on going
down the group.

Across a period, left to right, melting point and boiling point usually
increase upto group 14 (IV A) and then decrease.

Density of elements
Across a period increases gradually to maximum and then slight
decrease may be noticed.
Down a group density of elements increases gradually.

iv) Ionisation Potential: The energy required to remove an electron

from a neutral isolated gaseous atom and convert it into a positively
charged gaseous ion is called ionisation potential (I.P.) or ionisation
energy (I.E.) or first ionisation energy.
Across a period (Left 2 Right): Increase – Atomic size decrease
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom): Decrease- Atomic size increases
v) Electro affinity: The amount of energy released while converting
a neutral gaseous isolated atom into a negatively charged gaseous
ion (anion) by the addition of electron is called Electron Affinity
(E.A.)
Across a period (Left 2 Right): increase
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom):Decrease

vi) Electronegativity: The tendency of an atom in a molecule to

attract the shared pair of electrons towards itself is called its
electronegativity. It is dimensionless property as it has only a
tendency.
Across a period (Left 2 Right): Increase
Down a Group (Top 2 Bottom):decrease
Linus Pauling gave scale of measuring electronegativity.
Highest Flourine and least Caesium.

Diagonal relationship : Elements of the

second period have resemblance with
right diagonal elements of third period.

Atomic Number: The atomic number of an element is equal to the

number of protons in the nucleus. Atomic number is the unique
property of an element, because no two elements have the same
atomic number.
Mass Number: The mass number of an element is the sum of the
number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom of that
element.