The Periodic Table

CHEMISTRY
0620
Periods
What does a group
number tell?

 Valence electrons (outer-shell

electrons)
 Elements in a group have similar
reactions, because they have the
same number of valence electrons.
What does a period
number tell ?

 Electron shells in the atoms

The metallic character of elements
Group Number & Charge on
the Ion
• Group number can help determine the charge that metal and non-metal ions form
• For metals, the group number corresponds to the number of electrons it will lose
to achieve a full outer shell and the charge of the metal ion
• E.g., sodium is in Group I, it will lose 1 electron and form an ion with a 1+
charge
• Magnesium is in Group II; it will lose 2 electrons and form an ion with a 2+
charge
• For non-metals in Group VII and VI, they will gain 1 and 2 electrons respectively
to gain a full outer shell
• E.g., non-metals in Group VII gain 1 electron to form ions with a 1- charge
• Non-metals in Group VI gain 2 electrons to form ions with a 2- charge
Metalloids
 Elements close to the zig
zag line
 Show properties of a metal
and a non-metal
 Look like metals but are
brittle like non-metals
 Neither conductors nor
insulators but semi-
conductors
Position of Hydrogen
Transition Elements
 • Hard, tough and strong. They are not soft like the Group I metals.
• High melting points. But mercury is an exception. It is a liquid at room
temperature. (It melts at 239°C.)
• Malleable (can be hammered into different shapes) and ductile (can be
drawn out into wires).
• Good conductors of heat and electricity. Of all the metals, silver is the best
conductor of electricity, and copper is next.
Transition • High density. They are heavy. 1 cm3 cube of iron weighs 7.9 grams – over 8

Metals times more than 1 cm3 cube of sodium.

Distinctive Properties of Transition Metals
Physical Properties
• High melting & boiling points
• Malleable and ductile
• Good conductors of heat & electricity
• High density
Chemical Properties
• Act as catalysts e.g., Ni, Fe
• Form coloured compounds e.g., Iron (II)
salts are pale green whereas iron (III) salts
are yellow/brown, Copper (II) salts are
blue, Nickel salts are bright green
• Variable Oxidation Numbers e.g., Iron (II)
or Iron (III)
Predicting Properties of
Elements
• We can use the Periodic Table to predict properties
such as:
• boiling point
• melting point
• density
• reactivity
• Some common properties / trends in properties
include:
• Group I elements react very quickly with water
• Noble gases are unreactive
• Transition elements are denser than Group I
elements
• Reactivity decreases going down Group VII
• Melting point decreases going down Group I
• In this way the Periodic Table can be used
to predict how a particular element will behave
Group I (Alkali
Metals)
 Like all metals, they are good conductors of heat and electricity.
 They are softer than most other metals. You can cut them with a knife.

Properties  They are ‘lighter’ than most other metals – they have low density. So, they float
on water – while reacting with it.
 They have low melting and boiling points, compared with most metals.
 Have shiny silvery surfaces when freshly cut
 They react readily with oxygen and water vapor in air so they are stored
under oil to stop them from reacting
Identifying
Trends
 Chemical Properties Physical Properties

Readily react with oxygen and water; Good conductors of heat and
stored in oil electricity

React violently with chlorine Soft and easy to cut

Burst into flames when heated with

oxygen [red flame for lithium; yellow
Shiny when freshly cut
flame for sodium; lilac flame for
potassium]

Melting points decrease down the

Produce soluble white compounds.
group.

React with water to form alkaline

Increase density down the group
metal and hydrogen gas