The Periodic Table

The Periodic Table

○ a tabular display of the chemical elements
○ is organized by the atomic number (from lowest to highest)
■ the number of protons in an atom is called the atomic
number.

The Groups of the Periodic Table

○ vertical columns = groups
■ group 1 and 2 are most reactive and metals
■ group 7 is non-metal and reacts vigorously with group
1 and 2
■ group 8 are gases

Group 1, The Alkali Metals

● Physical Properties
ELEMENT DENSITY/g/ MELTING BOILING
cm3 POINT/°C POINT/°C
lithium 0.53 180.6 1344
sodium 0.97 97.9 884
potassium 0.86 63.5 760
● Chemical Properties
○ with water → metal hydroxide is produced + hydrogen gas
escapes
○ when burn → produces metal oxides
○ reacts vigorously with halogens, to produce halides
● Uses
○ LITHIUM:
■ used in batteries and in compounds used as
medicines to treat mental disorders.
■ derived from lithis, Greek word for stone
■ is found in many igneous rocks.
○ SODIUM:
■ metallic sodium is used in certain kinds of street
lamps (giving it an orange glow)
■ Is alloyed with potassium to make a material for
transferring heat in a nuclear reactor.
■ sodium compounds such as sodium hydroxide can be
used in many things
 ■ In the body, sodium ions are needed by nerve cells to
transfer electrical signals (nerve impulses).
○ POTASSIUM:
■ potassium nitrate is mined and used as fertilizer.
■ in the body, potassium ions are used for the control of
the water content of the blood and are also used with
sodium ions.

Group 2, The Alkaline Earth Metals

● Physical Properties
ELEMENT DENSITY/ MELTING BOILING
g/cm3 POINT/°C POINT/°C
beryllium 1.85 1289 2476
magnesium 1.74 649 1097
calcium 1.53 840 1493
● Chemical Properties
○ Reaction with oxygen
■ beryllium does not react with oxygen in the air.
■ magnesium, calcium, and strontium form metal
oxides on their surfaces.
■ barium must be stored in oil to prevent a vigorous
reaction.
○ Reaction with water
■ beryllium does not react with water in the slightest.
■ the others of the group react with water but reactions
aren’t as strong as group 1.
● Uses
○ BERYLLIUM:
■ combine with aluminum, silicon, and oxygen to make
a mineral called beryl.
■ emerald and aquamarine are two varieties of beryl
used as gems in jewelry.
■ it is mixed with other metals to make strong but light
alloys.
■ is used in a mechanism that controls the speed of
neutron particles in a nuclear reactor.
○ MAGNESIUM:
■ used in fireworks to make a white light.
■ is mixed with other metals to make strong,
lightweight allows like ones used to make bicycle
frames.
■ green plants need it to make chlorophyll
 ■ in the body, it is used for the formation of healthy
bones and teeth.
○ CALCIUM:
■ derived from calx, latin for lime (calcium oxide)
■ forms many compounds with many uses, like baking
and bleaching powders to medicines and plastics
■ in the body, it is required for the formation of healthy
teeth and bones and for contraction of muscles.

Group 7, The Halogens

● Physical Properties
ELEMENT MELTING BOILING ELEMENT
POINT/°C POINT/°C
fluorine -219.7 -188.2 fluorine
chlorine -100.9 -34.0 chlorine
bromine -7.3 59.1 bromine
● Chemical Properties
○ fluorine is one of the most reactive elements and can form
compounds with the noble gasses (unreactive elements).
○ when fluorine and water meet → vigorous reaction → oxygen
and hydrogen fluoride are produced.
○ chlorine dissolves in water and reacts with it → produces
hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid.
○ bromine dissolves in water but reacts slower → forming
hydrogen bromide and hypobromous acid.
○ iodine doesn’t dissolve in water and doesn’t react.
● Uses
○ FLUORINE: one of the elements in CFCs
■ a pale yellow-green poisonous gas found in
combination with calcium in the mineral fluorite.
■ a variety of fluorite (blue john) has colored bands and
is carved to make ornaments and jewelry.
■ hydrogen fluoride dissolves glass and is used in
etching glass surfaces.
■ sodium fluoride prevents tooth decay and is added to
some drinking water supplies.
○ CHLORINE:
■ a yellow-green poisonous gas found in combination
with sodium as rock salt.
■ is used to kill bacteria in water
■ used in the manufacture of bleach
■ forms hydrochloric acid
○ BROMINE:
 ■ red-brown liquid that produces a poisonous, strong-
smelling brown vapor at room temperature.
■ is extracted from bromide salts in seawater and is
used with silver (in traditional photography)
■ silver bromide is light sensitive and is used in
photographic film to record the amount of light in
different parts of the image focused by the camera
lens.

Group 8, The Noble Gasses

● Chemical Properties
○ very unreactive
● Uses
○ HELIUM:
■ is lighter than air and is used to lift meteorological
balloons into the atmosphere. (they carry equipment
to help collect information for weather forecasting)
■ is also mixed with oxygen to help deep-sea divers
breathe underwater.
○ NEON:
■ gas that produces red light when an electric current
goes through it.
■ used in lights for advertising displays.
○ ARGON:
■ used in wire-filament light bulbs.
■ is used instead of air containing oxygen because it
does not react with the tungsten and the filament
lasts longer.
■ is also used in making silicon and germanium crystals
for the electronics industry.
○ KRYPTON:
■ used in lamps that produces light of high intensity
(like airport landing light, and in lighthouses)
○ XENON:
■ used to make bright light in a photographer’s flash
gun.
● Properties of Hydrogen
○ unique
○ no neutrons: lightest atom
○ colorless gas without any smell
○ most common element in the universe
 ○ forms many compounds: in acids, bases as hydroxides and
hydrogen carbonates, combined with carbon forming
hydrocarbons.
○ burns when heated, explodes when mixed with air/oxygen

The Periods of the Periodic Table

○ horizontal rows = periods
■ period 1: hydrogen and helium
■ period 2 and 3: has 8 elements
■ periods 4 to 6: a row of transition metals between the
elements in group 2 and 3
■ periods 2 to 6: elements change from being metals to
being non-metals