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Wize High School Grade 11 Chemistry Textbook > Atomic Structure and Periodic Trends

The Periodic Table

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The Periodic Table of Elements

Periodic Law

  • The periodic table organizes the elements by their atomic number (Z) and is organized into groups (columns) and periods (rows).
  • Elements in the same group have very similar reactivity
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Metals

  • Metals are found on the left hand side of the periodic table
  • They are solid at room temperature, with the exception of mercury which is a liquid
  • They are generally shiny and flexible
  • Most metals are good conductors of heat and electricity


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Non-metals

  • Non-metals are found on the right hand side of the periodic table
  • Most are gas or solid at room temperature, with bromine being the only liquid element
  • They are dull and non-malleable
  • They are poor conductors of heat and electricity


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Families and Series of Elements

Alkali Metals

  • Chemical properties:
  • react with water to form strong bases and release hydrogen Example:
2Li(s)+2H2O(ℓ)→2LiOH(aq)+H2(g)2Li\left(s\right)+2H_2O\left(\ell\right)\to2LiOH\left(aq\right)+H_2\left(g\right)
  • react with oxygen to form oxides Example:
4Li(s)+O2(g)→2Li2O(s)4Li\left(s\right)+O_2\left(g\right)\to2Li_2O\left(s\right)
  • react with halogens to form metal halides Example:
2Na(s)+Cℓ2(g)→2NaCℓ(s)2Na\left(s\right)+C\ell_2\left(g\right)\to2NaC\ell\left(s\right)
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Alkaline Earth Metals

  • Chemical properties:
  • react with water to form strong bases and release hydrogen (with the exception of Be) Example:
Ba(s)+2H2O(ℓ)→Ba(OH)2(aq)+H2(g)Ba\left(s\right)+2H_2O\left(\ell\right)\to Ba\left(OH\right)_2\left(aq\right)+H_2\left(g\right)
  • react with halogens to form metal halides Example:
Mg(s)+I2(g)→MgI2(s)Mg\left(s\right)+I_2\left(g\right)\to MgI_2\left(s\right)
  • react with oxygen to form metal oxides Example:
2Ca(s)+O2(g)→2CaO(s)2Ca\left(s\right)+O_2\left(g\right)\to2CaO\left(s\right)

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Transition Metals


  • Chemical properties:
  • form colored ions with different charges
  • overall, less reactive then alkali and alkaline metals
  • Ag and Au are unreactive

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Rare Earth Metals


  • The rare earth metals are the lanthanides and actinides
  • Rare earth metals tend to share many of their properties; that means that sometimes it is hard to distinguish them from one another


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Noble Gases


  • Chemical properties:
  • inert; they are unreactive



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Halogens

  • Chemical properties:
  • all exist as diatomic molecules
  • react with water to produce acids Example:
Cl2(aq)+H2O(ℓ)→HCℓ(aq)+HOCℓ(aq)Cl_2\left(aq\right)+H_2O\left(\ell\right)\to HC\ell\left(aq\right)+HOC\ell\left(aq\right)
  • react with metals to produce metal halides Example:
2Na(s)+Cℓ2(g)→2NaCℓ(s)2Na\left(s\right)+C\ell_2\left(g\right)\to2NaC\ell\left(s\right)

  • react with hydrogen to produce hydrogen halides Example:
H2(g)+I(g)→2HI(g)H_2\left(g\right)+I\left(g\right)\to2HI\left(g\right)
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Example: The Periodic Table

Using the periodic table, give an example of each of the following:
  1. a gas
  2. an element that is a solid at room temperature
  3. a noble gas
  4. an alkaline earth metal
  5. an element that is a liquid at room temperature

Practice: Periodic Law

Select all that apply. In the modern periodic table elements are arranged in order of increasing:

Practice: Families of Elements and Their Properties

Match each term with the correct definition below.
A.
Group 2 elements that have two valence electrons
B.
Reactive elements of group 17 that are poor conductors
C.
Very stable due to the fact that they have a full outermost energy level
D.
Highly reactive elements that belong to group 1
E.
Elements that belong to groups 3 - 12 and are somewhat reactive
halogens
alkaline - earth metals
alkali metals
transition metals
noble (inert) gases

Practice: Families and Series of Elements

The greatest similarity in chemical properties is expected for elements with the atomic numbers: