kullabs.
com
Modern Periodic Table
Learning Simplified
7-9 minutes
In 1913, Henry Moseley, an English physicist, by his experiment
concluded that atomic number is a more fundamental property
of an element and not its atomic mass. Thus, he defined
Modern Periodic Law as the physical and chemical properties
of the elements are the periodic functions of their atomic
numbers.
Periodicity may be defined as the repetition of similar
properties of the elements placed in a group and separated by
certain gaps of atomic numbers. Physical and chemical
properties of the elements must be related to the arrangement
of electrons in their atoms. Since electrons present in the inner
shells do not take part in chemical combinations, it must be
the electrons in the outermost shell, which control the
properties of the atoms. Thus, if the electrons in the outermost
shell of the atoms are same, their properties will also be
similar.
From the table above, it is quite clear that all the atoms listed
have one electron (ns1) in their valence shells. This means that
the same valence shell electron configuration gets repeated in
a group when elements are separated by certain definite gaps
of atomic numbers (8, 8, 18, 18, 32) which are also known as
magic numbers. Similar explanation can be offered for the
periodicity of the elements present in any other group.
Extended or Long Form of Periodic Table
A number of tables have been suggested for the classification
of elements in order to eliminate the defects of Mendeleev's
periodic table. The widely accepted table is the extended or
long form of periodic table, also known as Modern Periodic
Table.
source: www.transtutors.com
Fig: Modern Periodic Table
Features of Long Form of Periodic Table
Description of groups
There are 18 vertical columns in the long form of the periodic
table called groups. In the earlier arrangement, the groups
retained the same names which were assigned to them in the
Mendeleev's periodic table i:e IA, IIA, IIIB to VIIB, VIII, IB, IIB, IIIA
to VIIA and zero.
Characteristics of groups
a) In a group, all the elements have the same general electronic
configuration of the atom.
b) The elements in a group are separated by definite gaps of
atomic number (2, 1, 18, and 32).
c) The atomic sizes of the elements in a group increase down
the group due to the successive addition of the number of
electron shells.
d) The elements in each group have generally similar chemical
properties because they are related to the valence shell
electronic configuration of the atoms.
e) The variation in physical properties of the elements such as
melting point, boiling point, density, solubility e.t.c. follows a
systematic pattern.
Description of periods
The horizontal rows in the long form of the periodic table are
called periods. There are seven periods in the long form of the
periodic table as in the original, Mendeleev's periodic table.
Different periods contain a variable number of elements. In
fact, there is a correlation between the period number and the
number of principal shells occupied by the electrons. For
example, 4thperiod contains the elements whose atoms have
electrons in four different shells (i:e K, L, M, and N).
The first three periods of the periodic table from the top with 2,
8, and 18 elements, respectively are known as short periods.
The next three periods with 18, 18, and 32 elements are called
long periods while the seventh period is an incomplete long
period. The periodic table shows at the bottom of table two
horizontal rows each containing 14 elements. The elements in
the first row are called lanthanides. These elements actually
belong to the sixth period and the atoms of the elements are
filled with electrons in 4f sub-shell. Similarly, the elements in
the second row are called actinides. They belong to the
seventh period and have the atoms which are filled with
electrons in 5f sub-shell.
Table showing correlation between number of elements in
periods and number of shells accommodating the electrons
Energy Orbitals being Number of Type of
Period
levels filled elements period
Short
1 n=1 1s 2
period
Short
2 n=2 2s 2p 8
period
Short
3 n=3 3s 3p 8
period
Long
4 n=4 4s 3d 4p 18
period
Long
5 n=5 5s 4d 5p 18
period
Long
6 n=6 6s 4f 5d 6p 32
period
Long
7 n=7 7s 5f 6d 7p 32
period
Characteristics of periods
a) For the atoms of the elements in the same period, the
electrons are added successively in the same principal shell
while moving from left to right.
b) The atomic-sized of the elements generally decrease from
left to right in the periodic table.
c) In a period, on going from left to right, the metallic character
of the elements decreases while their nonmetallic character
increases.
d) As the electronic configuration changes along the period,
the chemical properties of the elements also change.
Superiority of Long Form of Periodic Table
The long form of the periodic table has several advantages
over the original Mendeleev's table. Some of the superior
characteristics are mentioned below:
1) The basis of the classification of the elements is the most
fundamental property of the element i.e. the atomic number.
2) The positions of the elements in the periodic table are linked
with the electronic configuration of their atoms.
3) Each group occupies an independent column in the
extended periodic table. The idea of sub-groups has been
discarded.
4) A single position for all the isotopes of an element is
justified since the isotopes of an element have the same
atomic number.
5) Anomalous position of some of the elements in the original
periodic table has been corrected and is now justified
according to the periodic law.
6) The classification of the elements into s, p, d, and f- blocks
has been quite helpful in understanding their properties.
7) A complete separation between metals and non-metals has
been achieved. The non-metals are present in the upper right
corner of the periodic table.
8) Some justification has been offered for placing lanthanides
and actinides at the bottom of the periodic table.
Defects of Long Form of Periodic Table
In spite of many advantages, the long form of periodic table
has still some minor drawbacks as listed below:
a) The position of hydrogen : IUPAC periodic table has
recommended group 1 for hydrogen. The position is, however,
still debated with respect to its electronic structure.
b) The position of lanthanides and actinides : Lanthanides and
actinides have not been incorporated in the main body of the
periodic table.
c) The position of helium : Helium is placed in group 18 along
with other noble gases which are p-block elements. However,
with respect to electronic structure, helium is an s-block
element.
References:
Adhikari, Rameshwar; Khanal, Santosh; Subba , Bimala;
Adhikari, Santosh; Khatiwada, Shankar Pd. Universal Chemistry
XI. First. Vol. 1st. Kathmandu: Oasis Publication, 2069.
Chaudhary, Ganga Ram; Karna, Shila Kant Lal; Sharma,
Kanchan; Singh, Sanjay; Gupta, Dipak Kumar. A Textbook of
Higher Secondary Chemistry XI. Ed. 2nd. Kathmandu: Vidyarthi
Pustak Bhandar, 2069 (2012).
