Patterns in the Periodic Table

Metals, Non-metals, Metalloids

Non-met
als
(yellow)
Metals
(green)

Metalloids
(blue)
Periods = Rows on the PT
Rows and rows
Groups = Columns on the PT
Groups show a trend with valence
electrons
 Happy Atoms
• Atoms want to be happy!
– They are happiest when their outermost energy
level is full of electrons!

• During a chemical reaction, one atom can join

with another atom by gaining, losing, or
sharing valence electrons

• Valence electrons determine how reactive an

element is
 All in the Family (Anybody? Anybody?)

• Families are groups of elements with similar

chemical properties

• Each family reacts and behaves differently

 Alkali Metals (Group 1)

• Traits:
– Very reactive – why?
– They all have 1 electron in
their outer shell. That’s 1
away from being happy (full
shell)
– Increased desire to bond (and
lose electron) = more reactive
 Alkaline Earth Metals – Group 2

• 2nd most reactive family

• Needs to get rid of 2 valence
electrons to be happy
 Halogens – Group 17

• How many valence electrons ?

– 7 – only 1 short of being full
• Because they are so close to being happy, they
combine with many different elements
– Very reactive non-metals!
– Often bond with elements from Group 1
 Inert Gases - Group 18

• Aka Noble gases

• Outer electron shells are full
• Happy not reacting with other elements –
rarely combine
– Non-reactivity = inert
• Odourless, colourless gases (at room temp.)
• When they do bond, they were forced
 Outlaws:

Hydrogen
• Has talents of 2 groups: one
and seven
• either missing an electron
or have one extra
• NOT an alkali metal
– It’s a gas
helium
• Even though it only has 2
valence electrons, it is still in
the inert gas family
• There’s one in every family,
right?
Transition Metals
 Transition Metal Groups
• Transition metals (groups 3-11) are special
– They have a lot of electrons that are distributed in
different ways (i.e. They don’t follow the pattern)

• Can use the two outermost shells to bond with

other elements (instead of just outermost)
– Most have two shells that aren’t “happy”
 The last two...
Lanthanide series Actinide series
• Aka: Rare-earth metals or • All radioactive elements
inner transition metals • Some with higher atomic
• Found naturally on earth numbers have only been
– Except for Promethium (Pm) - made in labs
radioactive – Particle accelerators