Chapter 6: The Periodic Table

By Kendon Smith
Columbia Central HS
Brooklyn, MI
A. Development of the Periodic Table
1. The first periodic table: (p. 156)
a. Created by Dimitri Mendeleev in the 1800’s.
b. Elements were listed in order of increasing
atomic mass.
c. Elements with similar properties were listed side
by side and it was discovered that there were
repeating patterns to these properties.
d. Mendeleev left blank spaces where the pattern
showed elements should exist. These elements
were later discovered!
A. Development of the Periodic Table
2. The modern periodic table:
a. Rearranged by Henry Mosely in 1913.
b. Elements were listed in order of increasing
atomic number because the atomic masses
didn’t always fit the pattern.
B. Organization of the Periodic Table
1. The periodic table is arranged into horizontal rows
called periods and vertical columns called groups
or families.
2. Periods:
a. Periods contain different numbers of elements.
Period 1: 2 Period 2: 8 Period 4: 18 Period 6: 32
b. Properties of elements change as you go across
a period.
c. The pattern of properties within a period repeats
in each period. This is called the periodic law.
d. Each period represents the number of energy
levels holding the electrons of those elements.
B. Organization of the Periodic Table
3. Groups:
a. Elements in groups have similar chemical and
physical properties.
b. Each group is identified by a Roman numeral
and letter A or B.
We usually just number them from 1 to 18.
Ex. Group IIA = 2
Group IIIA = 13
Group VIIA = 17
C. Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids
- All elements are classified into 3 main categories
based on their properties.
1. Metals
a. Metals exhibit the most metallic properties.

- Good conductors of heat and electricity.

- Surface can be polished to have a high luster
or sheen.
- Most are solids at room temperature.
(Except: Mercury)
- Many are ductile and can be drawn into wires.
- Most are malleable and can be pounded into
thin sheets.
C. Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids
2. Nonmetals
a. Nonmetals tend have properties that are opposite
to those of metals.
- Most are gases at room temperature.
Bromine is a liquid.
Sulfur and phosphorus are solids.
- Most are poor conductors of heat and electricity.

(Except: Carbon)
- Most tend to be brittle and will shatter if it with a
hammer.
b. Nonmetals form the basis of organic chemistry
because they make up so many compounds in
living things.
C. Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids
3. Metalloids

a. Metalloids, called semi-metallic elements, are

between the metals & nonmetals.

b. Under certain conditions, metalloids may behave

like metals or nonmetals.

- Metalloids have mixed properties.

D. Important Periodic Table Groups and Properties:
1. Alkali Metals: Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr
a. Alkali metals are found in Group 1A or 1.
- All alkali metals have one valence electron.
b. These metals are highly reactive and never
found free in nature.
c. All alkali metals react with water to release
hydrogen gas.

d. Li, Na, and K have densities less than 1.0 and

float on water.
D. Important Periodic Table Groups and Properties:
2. Alkaline Earth Metals: Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra
a. Alkaline-earth metals are found in Group 2A or 2.
- All alkaline earth metals have two valence e-.

b. These metals are very reactive, but not as much

as the alkali metals.
D. Important Periodic Table Groups and Properties:
3. Transition Metals – Fe, Ag, Cu, Au, Ti, Cr…
a. Transition metals are found in Groups 3B – 2B
or 3 - 12.
- Characterized by having electrons in their
d orbitals.
- Most transition metals have two valence
electrons, a few only have one.
Examples: [Ar]4s23d6 = iron
[Ar]4s13d5 = chromium (exception)
*Note: The idea of valence electrons is not very
useful with transition metals!
D. Important Periodic Table Groups and Properties:
4. Inner Transition Metals – U, Pr, Nd, Eu, Yb, Cf…
a. Also called the Rare Earth Metals
b. Inner transition metals are usually shown in
2 rows under the main table.
c. Characterized by having electrons in their
f orbitals.
d. Elements beyond uranium are all man made
and radioactive.
5. Halogens: F, Cl, Br, I
a. These elements are found in Group 7A or 17.
- Characterized by having 7 valence electrons.
b. Halogens are the most reactive of the
non-metals.
c. Halogens react vigorously with many metals to
form a salt compound called a metal halide.

- A common metal halide salt is

NaCl – sodium chloride

Reactions: 2 Na + Cl2 → 2 NaCl

NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O

6. Noble Gases: He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn
a. These elements are found in Group 8A or 18.
- Characterized by having 8 valence electrons.
b. Also called the inert gases - means “inactive”
c. These elements are the least reactive of all the
elements.

7. Representative Elements:
- This name is sometimes given to elements in
groups 1A – 7A, where the group number
equals the number of valence electrons.
E. Periodic Trends
1. Atomic Size:
a. Usually expressed as an atomic radius
measured in picometers.
b. Atomic radius is equal to half the distance
between the nuclei of two atoms of the
same element when they are joined.
c. Atomic size increases as you move down a group.
- Going down a row adds another energy level
of electrons.
- Lower energy levels shield the outer level from
the positive charge pulling it towards the nucleus.
Ex: Chlorine – 102 pm Bromine – 120 pm

+
+

Lower levels shield the outer levels!

d. Atomic size decreases as you move from left to
right across a period.
- Atoms are increasing in mass and
atomic number, but get smaller!
- Protons are being added to the nucleus,
making it more positive!
- Electrons are being added to the same principal

energy level!
* There is no change in shielding effect
of the inner levels.
- Increased nuclear charge pulls valence
electrons closer to the nucleus.
Ex: Phosphorus – 109 pm Chlorine – 102 pm
15 protons! 17 protons!

+ +

More protons in the nucleus makes the positive

charge “stronger” and it pulls the electrons in a bit
tighter. More electrons, but closer to nucleus!
2. Ions:
a. Ions are atoms or groups of atoms that have a
positive or negative charge.
- Neutral = same number of protons and
electrons
- Positive atom = more protons than electrons

- Negative atom = more electrons than protons

b. Ions can only form when atoms

gain or lose electrons.
- Gaining electrons makes an atom negative.
- Losing electrons makes an atom positive.
c. Cations:
- Cations are positively charged ions.
- Metals tend to form positive ions by
losing electrons.
- Cation charges are written as a number
with a plus sign.
Examples:
Sodium metal loses 1 e- Calcium metal loses 2 e-
to become the sodium ion. to become the calcium ion.

Na1+ Na+ Ca2+

c. Anions:
- Anions are negatively charged ions.
- Nonmetals tend to form negative ions by
gaining electrons.
- Anion charges are written as a number
with a minus sign.
Fix this in your notes!
Examples:
Chlorine gains 1 e- to Phosphorus gains 3 e- to
become the chloride ion. become the phosphide ion.

Cl1- Cl- P3-

3. Ionization Energy:
a. Ionization energy is the energy required to
remove an electron from an atom.
b. 1st ionization energy = remove 1st e- = 1+ charge
c. 2nd ionization energy = remove 2nd e- = 2+ charge
d. 3rd ionization energy = remove 3rd e- = 3+ charge

- Higher ionization energy means electrons are

harder to remove!
- Harder to remove = less likely to form that ion!
 Element 1st Ionization 2nd Ionization 3rd Ionization
Na 496 kJ/mol 4565 kJ/mol 6912 kJ/mol
Mg 738 kJ/mol 1450 kJ/mol 7732 kJ/mol
K 419 kJ/mol 3069 kJ/mol 4600 kJ/mol
a. How many electrons will Na most likely lose? 1 e-
What ion will that make? Na1+

b. How many electrons will Mg most likely lose? 2 e-

What ion will that make? Mg2+

c. How many electrons will K most likely lose? 1 e-

What ion will that make? K1+
e. Periodic Trend: First ionization energy decreases
from top to bottom in a group and
increases from left to right
across a period.

2 Ways to Think About Ionization Energy:

- Atoms with fewer electrons hold on to the

more tightly. (As they lose them it goes up!)

- As atoms get larger, valence electrons are

farther from the nucleus and easier to pick off.
4. Ionic Size: (This one is easy!)
a. As atoms lose electrons to become cations,
their electron clouds get smaller!
- Nucleus pulls harder on the remaining electrons.
b. As atoms gain electrons to become anions,
their electron clouds get bigger!
- Nucleus can’t pull as hard on extra electrons.

Sodium → Sodium ion Chlorine → Chloride ion

e. Periodic Trend: Ionic size increases from
top to bottom in a group and
ionic size of cations and anions
decreases across a period.
* Note: Anions are always larger than cations in the
same period!
Example: Which ion has a larger size?
a. Sodium ion or Magnesium ion?
Na1+ Mg2+
b. Magnesium ion or Phosphide ion?
Mg2+ P-3
c. Sodium ion or Potassium ion?
Na1+ K1+
5. Electronegativity:
a. Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to
attract electrons.
Higher EN = nucleus has a stronger pull on electrons
b. Values range from 0.7 (Francium) to 4.0 (Fluorine)
c. Periodic Trend: Values tend to decrease from
top to bottom in a group and
increase from left to right
across a period.
- Metals easily lose electrons = low EN values.
- Nonmetals usually gain electrons = high EN values
Partial Table of Electronegativity Values

Note: Why do Noble Gases not have EN values?

 Atomic radius decreases
Ionization energy & Electronegativity Increase
Atomic Radius
increases
Ionization Energy
decreases
Ionic Size
increases
Electronegativity
decreases
 THE END
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