Relationship Of Elements
Janane Tan
Periodic Table
Members of the families (vertical columns) in the periodic table have similar properties. An electron configuration shows the number of electrons in each orbital in a particular atom. The periodic table is a tabular arrangement of the chemical elements, ordered by their atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus), electron configurations, and recurring chemical properties. These electron configurations show that there are some similarities among each group of elements in terms of their valence electrons.
Alkali Metal
Column 1 is made up of the alkali metals. In reactions, these elements all tend to lose a single electron. This family contains some important elements, such as sodium (Na) and potassium (K). Both of these elements play an important role in the chemistry of the body and are commonly found in salts. Alkali Metals are typically soft, highly reactive especially in water.
Alkaline Metals
Column 2 is made up of the alkaline metals. All these elements tend to lose two electrons. Calcium (Ca) is an important member of Column 2. Alkaline Metals are mildly soft and are fairly reactive, but not as reactive as Alkali Metals.
Halogens
Column 7 is made up of the halogens. They all tend to gain a single electron in reactions. Important members in the family include chlorine (Cl), used in making table salt and bleach, and iodine (I).
- All but 2 elements are gases. (1 is a sold and the other is a liquid)
- Highly reactive
- Found in nature, bound to each other
- Low melting points
- Low boiling points
Metals
- Found between Column 3-12
- Good electrical and heat conductors.
- Malleable - can be beaten into thin sheets.
- Ductile - can be stretched into wire.
- Possess metallic luster.
- Opaque as thin sheet.
- Solid at room temperature (except Hg).
Non-Metals
- Mostly gases, there are some solids and some gases.
- Poor conductors of heat and electricity.
- Brittle - if a solid.
- Non-ductile.
- Does not possess metallic luster.
- Transparent as a thin sheet.
- Solids, liquids or gases at room temperature
Metalloids
- Solids
- Can be shiny or dull
- Ductile
- Malleable
- Conduct heat and electricity better than nonmetals but not as well as metals
Noble Gas
- All are gases
- Mostly inert (don't react) except under very special circumstance.
These elements are very nonreactive. For a long time, the noble gases were called the inert gases, because people thought that these elements wouldn’t react at all.
A scientist named Neil Bartlett showed that at least some of the inert gases could be reacted, but they required very special conditions. After Bartlett’s discovery, the gases were then referred to as noble gases.