CHAPTER 4:

PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS

PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS

GROUPS

PERIODS

Organisation of elements in PTE

1. The elements are placed in Groups (vertical column) Periods
(horizontal rows).
2. The elements are arranged in increasing order of proton
number from left to right.
3. The PTE consists of 18 Groups and 7 Periods.
4. Elements placed in the same group have the :
(a) same number of valence electrons and
(b) similar chemical properties .
5. Elements placed in the same period have the same number
of electron occupied shells.
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GROUP 18 ( NOBLE GASES )

Physical Properties
He

Ne

2.8

Ar

2.8.8

Kr

2.8.18.8

Xe

2.8.18.18.8

Rn

- Colourless gases with low melting &

boiling
point and low densities which increase
down the group;
- atomic radius increases down the group
- do not conduct electricity & poor conductors

of heat;
- insoluble in water
2.8.18.32.18.8
- exist as monoatomic gases

Atomic radius
increases

GROUP 18 ( NOBLE GASES )

Chemical Properties
- chemically inert & exist as monoatomic gases;
- they have stable duplet (helium) or octet electron
arrangement
- do not need to share, accept or donate electrons

GROUP 18 ( NOBLE GASES )

Uses of Group 18 elements :
(a) Helium very light and not-flammable, is used in filling
weather balloons and airships and is used in thermometers for
measuring low temperatures;
(b) Neon filling neon bulbs and lighting advertisement boards;
(c) Argon- filling electrical bulbs; providing inert atmosphere for
welding work;
(d) Krypton filling high speed photographic flash lamps; used
in laser to treat the retina of the eye;
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(e) Radon treatment of cancer because it is radioactive.

GROUP 1 ( ALKALI METALS)

Physical Properties of Group 1 elements

Li

2.1

Grey solids with shiny surfaces ,

Na

2.8.1

soft and easily cut

2.8.8.1

atomic radius and density increases down

the group

K
Rb

2.8.18.8.1

Cs

low melting and boiling point which

2.8. 18.18.8.1 decreases down the group

Fr

2.8.18.32.18.18.1

More
reactive

Chemical Properties of Group 1 elements

- Group 1 elements have similar chemical properties because all
the atoms of the elements have one valence electron.
- Group 1 elements are good reducing agents, very reactive and
very electropositive because the single valence electron in the
atoms is easily released to achieve the stable electron
arrangement;
M M+ + e- electropositivity increases down the group because the valence
electron is further away the nucleus and more easily released.

Reactions of Group 1 Elements

1. Reaction with water : 2Li (s) + 2H2O (l) 2 LiOH (aq) + H2 (g)
( hydrogen gas released, hiss sound, change red litmus paper blue)
2. Reaction with oxygen : 4Li (s) + O2 (g) 2 Li2O (s)
(produces a white solid oxide which is alkaline when dissolved in
water.)
Li2O (s) + H2O (l) 2 LiOH (aq)
3. Reaction with halogens : 2Li(s) + Cl2 (g) 2 LiCl (s)
[produces a white solid metal chloride (halide)]

GROUP 17 ( HALOGENS)

F
Cl
Br
I
At

Physical Properties of the halogens

- diatomic molecules: F2 , Cl2 , Br2 , I2 , At2
- Colour becomes darker down the group;
2.7
- non- metals with low densities;
- atomic radius and density increases down
2.8.7
the group
2.8.18.7
- melting and boiling point increases down
the group;
2.8.18.18.7
- do not conduct electricity and poor
conductors of heat;
2.8.18.32.18.7 - high electronegativity

Less
reactive

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Chemical Properties of the halogens

- Group 17 elements have similar chemical properties because
all the atoms of the elements have seven valence electrons.
- Group 17 elements are good oxidisinging agents, very
reactive and very electronegative because the halogen
atom will receive one more electron to achieve the stable
electron arrangement;
X + e- M - electronegativity decreases down the group as the outermost
occupied shell becomes further from the nucleus and the
attraction on the outer electrons becomes weaker.
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Reactions of Group 17 elements

1. Reaction with water to produce acidic solutions.
X2 + H2O HX + HOX
(HX and HOX : acidic solutions , HOX : bleaching agent
HOCl is hypochlorous acid and HOBr is hypobromous acid )

2. Reaction with iron to produce metal halides

2Fe + 3X2 2FeX3
[a brown coloured iron(III) halide salt is formed]
3. Reaction with sodium hydroxide to produce salts and water
X2 + 2NaOH NaX + NaOX + H2O
[Two sodium salts, sodium halide and sodium halate(I), and water
are produced ]
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Uses of the Group 17 elements.

(a) Production of acids and bleaching agents;
(b) Production of halide salts

Safety precautions when handling Group 17

elements
(a) Any experiment involving a halogen should be
carried out in a fume cupboard;
(b) A protective eye goggle should be used;
(c) Gloves should be used.
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ELEMENTS IN PERIOD 3
GROUP

ELEMENT

Na

13

14

15

16

17

18

Mg Al

Si

Cl

Ar

Metal

metalloid

non- metal

Atomic radius decreases

Electronegativity increases
the atom of each element in Period 3 has three electron
occupied shells;
Going across Period 3 from left to right :
(a) the proton number increases by one;
(b) number of valence electron also increases by one.

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(a) Physical state

ELEMENT

Na

Mg

Al
Si
Solid

Cl Ar
Gas

(b) Electronegativity - increases from left to right due to increase

in positive charge of the nucleus and the decrease in atomic size.
(c) Electrical conductivity Na, Mg and Al are good conductors,
Si is a weak conductor but P, S, Cl and Ar are non-conductors.
(d) Properties of oxides :
(i) Na , Mg form basic oxides
(ii) Al forms amphoteric oxide
(iii) Si, P, S, Cl form acidic oxides

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Uses of semi- metals (metalloids)

- Semi-metals such as silicon have 4 valence electrons and form
large covalent molecules which cannot conduct electricity. When
heated, the covalent bonds break and its free valence electrons
can conduct electricity.
- Foreign atoms such as boron increases the electrical
conductivity of semi-metals.
- Semi-conductors are good conductors of electricity which only
allows electrons to flow easily in one direction but not the
opposite direction.
- Silicon dan germanium are widely used in the microelectronic
industry as chips and diodes, microprocessors and transistors for the
production of television, computers and calculators.
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TRANSITION ELEMENTS
Group

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Period
1

He

10

Li

Be

Ne

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Na

Mg

Al

Si

Cl

Ar

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

Ca

Sc

Ti

Cr

Mn

Fe

Co

Ni

Cu

Zn

Ga

Ge

As

Se

Br

Kr

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

Rb

Sr

Zr

Nb

Mo

Tc

Ru

Rh

Pd

Ag

Cd

In

Sn

Sb

Te

Xe

55

56

Cs

Ba

87

88

Fr

Ra

*
*
*

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

Lu

Hf

Ta

Re

Os

Ir

Pt

Au

Hg

Tl

Pb

Bi

Po

At

Rn

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

Lr

Rf

Db

Sg

Bh

Hs

Mt

Ds

Rg

Uub

Uut

Uuq Uup Uuh Uus Uuo

Transition elements are located from group 3 to Group 12

in the PTE (zinc is not a transition element ).
17

1. The transition elements are metals and are solids (except

mercury which exists as a liquid).
2. They have :
(a) Shiny / silvery surface (exceptions eg gold, copper);
(b) high tensile strength (does not break easily when a force is
applied to it);
(c) good conductors of heat and electricity;
(d) high density;
(e) hard;
(f) malleable (can be bent into a new shape); and
(g) ductile (can be drawn into long wires).
3. The electronegativity is low but increases slowly from left to
right.
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4. Zinc is not a transition element because it does not exhibit the

characteristics of transition elements.

SPECIAL PROPERTIES OF TRANSITION ELEMENTS

1. Have variable oxidation numbers.
Examples : Cu+, copper(I), and Cu2+, copper(II) ions
Fe2+, iron(II) ions and Fe3+, iron(III) ions
2. Form coloured ions / compounds.
Examples : (i) Copper(II) compounds are blue,
(ii) Iron(III) compounds are brown in colour.
3. Elements / its compounds have catalytic properties
Examples(i) Iron is used as a catalyst in
Haber process
(ii) vanadium(V) oxide
is used in Contact process
4. Form complex ions.
Example : Tetraaminecopper(II) ion, Cu(NH3)42+
19

Uses of transition elements:

1. Iron used as steel in the construction of bridges and
buildings, kitchen tools and engineering equipment;
2. Copper used as electrical wires and cable because it is a
good conductor of electricity, malleable and ductile.
3. Precious stones eg. Emerald (green iron and nickel), ruby
(red - chromium) and sapphire (blue iron and titanium) are
coloured naturally.
4. Fireworks are made from a mixture of gunpowder (a
mixture of sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate) with
different salts of transition elements to create coloured
effects.

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