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This entry was posted on September 20, 2022 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on March 8, 2023)

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The periodic table is an important tool in chemistry, so there are many

periodic table questions that people have. Here are some common
questions, with answers in simple, down-to-Earth language that you can
understand, even if you’re not a scientist.

Periodic Table Questions and Answers

What Is the Periodic Table?

Of course, the most basic question is “What is the periodic table?” The
simple answer is that it is a chart that shows all of the chemical elements
and basic facts about them, that orders the elements by increasing atomic
number and common properties. The atomic number is the number of
protons in every atom of the element. The number of neutrons in the atom
changes its isotope, but not its element. Similarly, the number of electrons
changes the ion, but not the element.

What Are Groups and Periods in the Periodic Table?

The way the periodic table organizes elements by properties is by putting

them in rows, which are called periods, and columns, which are called
groups. Elements in a period have the same outer electron shell, which
gives them some common characteristics. Elements in a group have
number of outer or valence electrons, again, giving them common
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Organizing the table with groups and periods makes certain trends in
element properties apparent. In other words, the table displays periodicity
(hence its name).

There are several periodic table trends in properties, but the key ones are
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atomic radius, electronegativity, electron affinity, and ionization energy:

Atomic radius is the size of an electrically neutral atom of an element.

In increases moving down a group (column) because the atom gains a
new electron shell. It decreases moving from left to right across a
period (row) because adding protons (increasing atomic number)
attracts and draws the electrons in more tightly.
Electronegativity is a measure of how easily an atom attracts
electrons that can form a chemical bond. It increases moving left to
right (except for the noble gases) and mostly decreases moving down
a group.
Electron affinity is related to electronegativity. It is the energy change
that occurs when a neutral atom accepts an electron. It increases
moving across a period, but does not always decrease moving down a
group.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from
an atom. It increases moving across a period and decreases moving
down a group.

There are other also other trends, such as ionic radius, covalent radius,
and metallicity.

Who Invented the Periodic Table?

While lots of scientists have made periodic tables over the years, the one
that most closely resembles the table we use today was formulated by
Dmitri Mendeleev. So, Mendeleev is considered the “inventor of the
periodic table.” His 1869 table differed from the modern table in that it
ordered elements by increasing atomic weight instead of atomic number.
But, he made the table before protons were discovered. For the most part,
using atomic weight instead of atomic number produces the same table.

Why Are the Noble Gases So Inert?

While the noble gases sometimes do participate in chemical reactions,

they are mostly unreactive and are exceptions to periodic table trends. The
reason is that atoms of elements of this group have stable valence
electron shells. In other words, the noble gas atoms become less stable if
they lose or gain electrons.

Why Are the Halogens So Reactive?

The halogens (fluorine, chlorine, iodine, etc.) are as reactive as the noble
gases are stable. This group is right next to the noble gases, so why is it
so reactive? The reason is that they are only one electron away from
having a stable configuration. Forming chemical bonds gives the halogens
this stability.

What Are the Periodic Table Groups?

While the periods of the periodic table just have numbers corresponding
to their rows, the periodic table groups have both numbers and names.
Probably the names arose because of the different numbering systems for
the groups. The groups are the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals,
transition metals, basic metals, metalloids, nonmetals, halogens, and noble
gases. The lanthanide and actinide groups are actually a subset of the
transition metals.

More Periodic Table Questions

Do you have unanswered periodic table questions? Leave a comment! If
it’s a common question, I’ll add it to this article.

References
Bury, Charles R. (July 1921). “Langmuir’s Theory of the Arrangement
of Electrons in Atoms and Molecules”. Journal of the American
Chemical Society. 43(7): 1602–1609. doi:10.1021/ja01440a023
Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the
Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-
037941-8.
Petrucci, Ralph H.; Harwood, William S.; Herring, F. Geoffrey (2002).
General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications (8th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-014329-7.
Scerri, Eric. 2020. The Periodic Table, Its Story and Its Significance
(2nd edition). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-
0190914363.

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