CHAPTER 3

THE PERIODIC TABLE

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the discussion the students should be able to:
1. Write the correct general notation of the element
2. Identify the different properties of the elements based on their periodic arrangement

Competency:
Arranging the fictitious elements according to the periodic variations

Topic outline:
Definition of periodic table
Informations from the periodic table
Periodic variations

THE PERIODIC TABLE

Periodic table of chemical elements: a table of the chemical elements arranged according to their
increasing atomic numbers.
The Periodic Table is one of the most useful tools in all of chemistry. Thus, it is essential that one
can understand what information it holds. Each box contains information held about a certain element and
is organized like this:
• Atomic Number - Simply refers to the number of protons
present in the atom.
• Element Symbol - This is the symbol that chemical
formulas or equations use to indicate that certain element.
It is very important to know what symbol refers to what
element, so it is highly recommended to memorize some of
the most common symbols.
• Atomic Mass - The average mass of one atom of that
element in amu's (Atomic Mass Units). It is average
because different isotopes of the same element have
different masses.

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Grouping
The periodic table is broken into several groups who have similar chemical properties. The
beauty of the table is that even though an element may belong to several different groupings, most of the
time all of them can be seen in one table by looking at the rows columns and sections.
Columns work from left to right and element all in the same column are said to be in the same
family. Here are the names which refer to the different common families:

Group I A – Alkali Metals Group VA – Nitrogen Family

Group II A – Alkaline Earth Metals Group VIA – Oxygen Family
Group IIIA – Boron Family Group VII A – Halogens
Group IVA – Carbon Family Group VIIIA – Noble Gases

Most of the elements in the same family have similar reactive qualities. For instance all of the
noble gases are for the most part very unreactive with all other elements or molecules. Likewise all of the
halogens are known for their reactive qualities. The reason for the similarity of reactiveness is because all
of the elements in a family have the same tendencies to either lose or gain a certain number of electrons.
Rows work from top to bottom and are referred to as periods. They are distinctive because of
their weights and the energy levels of orbitals. As one looks along a row of the Periodic Table that is
where one can see the closest atomic mass occurring.

Representative Elements
These are elements of the Group A elements – IA to VIIA. Elements in these groups are
characterized by an outer shell that is incomplete and whose electrons are occupying s or p orbitals.
Noble Gases
Elements in Group VIIIA or 0 are called noble gases or inert gases. Elements in this group have a
completely filled set of s or p orbitals. They have a very stable electronic configuration. Noble gases have
little tendency to react or combine with other atoms.

Transition Elements
Transition elements are those belonging to Group B elements from IB to VIIIB. The transition
elements fill the set of d orbitals.

Inner Transition Elements

The inner transition elements are the two series of elements from 58-71 and 90-103. The inner
transition elements fill the set of f orbitals.

Elements can also be classified as:

Metals
Nonmetals
Metalloids

Common characteristics:

A. Metals
Metallic luster (shine)
• Generally solids at room temperature
• Malleable
• Ductile
• Conduct heat and electricity
• Exist as extended planes of atoms
• Combine with other metals to form alloys which have metallic characteristics
+ 2+ 3+
• Form positive ions, e.g. Na , Mg , and Al

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B. Nonmetals
> Rarely have metallic luster (shine)
> Generally gases at room temperature
> Neither malleable nor ductile
> Poor conductors of heat and electricity
> Usually exist as molecules in their elemental form
> Combine with other nonmetals to form covalent
- 2- 3-
> Generally form negative ions, e.g. Cl , SO4 , and N

The differences in the characteristics of metals and nonmetals can be explained by the following:
@ Metals have relatively few electrons in their valence shells.
@ Metals have lower ionization energies than nonmetals.
@ Metals have smaller electron affinities than nonmetals.
@ Metals have larger atoms than nonmetals.

C. Semimetals (Metalloids)
A class of 7 elements that have properties of both metals and nonmetals.

B Si Ge As Sb Te Po

• Generally look metallic but are brittle (not malleable or ductile)

• Neither good conductors or insulators; instead they are semiconductors.

THE PERIODIC VARIATIONS

A. Metallic Properties

As you move across a period, metallic character decreases and nonmetallic character increases.
As you move down a group, metallic character increases and nonmetallic character decreases.

B. Atomic Size / Radius

As you move down a group, atomic radius increases.

WHY? - The number of energy levels increases as you move down a group as the
number of electrons increases. Each subsequent energy level is further from the nucleus
than the last. Therefore, the atomic radius increases as the group and energy levels
increase.
As you move across a period, atomic radius decreases.
WHY? - As you go across a period, electrons are added to the same energy level. At the
same time, protons are being added to the nucleus. The concentration of more protons
in the nucleus creates a "higher effective nuclear charge." In other words, there is a
stronger force of attraction pulling the electrons closer to the nucleus resulting in a
smaller atomic radius.

C. Ionic Size
Anions (negative ions) are larger than their respective atoms.
WHY? Electron-electron repulsion forces them to spread further apart. Electrons
outnumber protons; the protons cannot pull the extra electron as tightly toward the nucleus.

Cations (positive ions) are smaller than their respective atoms.

WHY? There is less electron-electron repulsion, so they can come closer together.
Protons outnumber electrons; the protons can pull the fewer electrons toward the nucleus more
tightly. If the electron that is lost is the only valence electron so that the electron configuration of
the cation is like that of a noble gas, then an entire energy level is lost. In this case, the radius of
the cation is much smaller than its respective atom.

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D. Ionization Energy
The energy required removing an electron from an atom or ion is called ionization energy.
As you move down a group, first ionization energy decreases.
First ionization energy is the energy required to remove the outermost (highest energy) electron
from a neutral atom in its ground state.
WHY? - Electrons are further from the nucleus and thus easier to remove the outermost
one. "SHIELDING" - Inner electrons at lower energy levels essentially block the protons' force of
attraction toward the nucleus. It therefore becomes easier to remove the outer electron.

As you move across a period, first ionization energy increases.

WHY? - As you move across a period, the atomic radius decreases, that is, the atom is
smaller. The outer electrons are closer to the nucleus and more strongly attracted to the center.
Therefore, it becomes more difficult to remove the outermost electron.

E. Electron Affinity
The energy given off when a neutral atom in the gas phase gains an extra electron to form a
negatively charged ion or it is the amount of energy released when an atom gains an electron.

As you move down a group, electron affinity decreases.

As you move across a period, electron affinity increases.

Exceptions
• Among nonmetals, however, the elements in the first period have lower electron affinities than the
elements below them in their respective groups.
2 3 6
• Elements with electron configurations of Xs , Xp , and Xp have electron affinities less than zero
because they are unusually stable. In other words instead of energy being given off, these
elements actually require an input of energy in order to gain electrons. e.g. Be, N, Ne

WHY? - Electron affinities are all much smaller than ionization

energies.
2
1. Xs < 0: Stable, diamagnetic atom with no unpaired electrons.
3
2. Xp < 0: Stable atom with 3 unpaired p-orbital electrons each occupying its own
sub shell.
6
3. Xp < 0: Stable atom with filled valence (outermost) shell.

F. Electronegativity
It is the general tendency of that atom to attract electrons toward itself in a compound.

There are two periodic trends concerning electronegativity.

As you move down a group, electronegativity decreases.
As you move across a period, electronegativity increases.

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 Exercise 3.1

Name: ___________________________________ Score: __________

Class Schedule: ___________________________ Date: ___________

1. In each of the following set of elements, encircle the element with the highest electron affinity.

a. Zn Se W Cr Br
b. F N I Li At
c. Hg Bi P Re Sb
d. Cs Ta Fr Pt La
e. Fe Ga Bh As Te

2. Arrange the following elements in order of increasing electronegativity.

a. Mg, Na, P, Al, Cl - ____________________________________

b. O, Na, N, Rb, Mg - ____________________________________

c. S, F, Se, O, Te - ____________________________________

d. K, V, Cs, Cu, Rb - ____________________________________

e. Mo, Pd, W, Sn, Ag - ____________________________________

3. Arrange the following elements in order of decreasing atomic sizes.

a. P, F, N, O, As - ____________________________________

b. Cs, Mg, K, Rb, Na - ____________________________________

c. F, O, Ne, S, As - ____________________________________

d. Ca, Al, Sr, Ba, Mg - ____________________________________

4. Encircle the more metallic in character.

a. Fe vs. Zn

b. O vs. Se

c. Br vs. F

d. Sr vs. Be

e. Au vs. Os

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 Exercise 3.2

Name: _________________________________________ Score: __________

Class Schedule: __________________________________ Date : __________

1A 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A

Below are 26 elements in the periodic table, each represented by a fictitious symbol. Using the
information and the symbols given, fit each of these elements into the proper place in the periodic table.
Use the fictitious symbols only, not the actual symbols.

W an inert gas with the biggest atomic size

P an alkali metal in the second period
X a halogen that is least active
D an element that needs three electrons to become stable and it is found in the third period
K an atom that readily yields a 2+ ion in the fourth period
2 2 6 2 1
B has an electronic configuration of 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
A has 6 protons in its nucleus
R has an atomic number one less than A
O has an atomic number one more than A
S has 8 more protons in its nucleus than D
F has only one proton
Y is one shell greater than B and they are found in the same group
I has the largest atomic number in the group of IVA
T is found in the fourth period and having an electronic configuration of
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 4
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
C an atom that is one period more than U and 1 period less than X
V has one more proton in its nucleus than U and 8 electrons greater than G
H has the smallest atomic number in the group that has a valence of –2
G lightest noble gas
N third period inert gas element
2
J an element that has an outermost energy level of 2s
Q is found in the same group with J and K. It has an atomic mass greater than that of J and
less than that of K
E is in the same period with Q but lesser atomic mass than Q
Z the largest atomic in group 1A
U a halogen group that is the most reactive nonmetal is the second highest ionization
energy in its period
M precedes element D in the same period
L is the third element that has the highest electron affinity in the third period

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