THE PERIODIC TABLE

THE PERIODIC TABLE

– The periodic table is a chart showing the arrangement of elements depending on their
atomic number.
– The periodic table is a table of elements arranged in order of increasing atomic number.
The structure of the periodic table
– In the modern periodic table, each element is represented by its chemical symbol. The
number above each symbol is its atomic number.
– Atomic numbers increase from left to right and from top to bottom in the table.
– Rows of the periodic table are called periods. From left to right across a period, each
element has one more proton than the element before it.
– Columns of the periodic table are called groups. Elements in the same group have
similar properties.
– All elements can be classified in one of three classes:
metals, metalloids, or nonmetals.
− Elements in each class share certain basic properties. From left to right across each
period of the periodic table, elements change from metals to metalloids to nonmetals.
– Metals; these are on the left-hand side of the periodic table in
groups I, II, and III while non-metals are on the right.
– The block between group II and group III contains the transition elements.
These elements have variable valences and form coloured compounds.
Periods of elements
– Period refers to the horizontal rows of elements in the periodic table.
– The periodic table has got 7 horizontal rows and these represent the periods,
however, for our level we consider the first four periods
– The number of periods is often determined by the number of shells into which
electrons are distributed.
– The periods are written in roman numbers as 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.
Period 1
– This consists of two elements hydrogen and helium. These elements have only
one energy level.
– Period 1 is the shortest period in the periodic table.
Period 2
– This is also referred to as a short period but consists of eight elements i.e. Li, Be, B, C, N, O, F and Ne.
Period 3

– This also consists of eight elements; Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, and Ar
Period 4
– This consists of 18 elements from K to Kr and is known as the longest period of the periodic table.
– 10 of these elements are transition elements (metals)
Groups of elements
− Groups refer to vertical columns.
− the group number is written in Roman numeral, I, II, III.
− The group number represents the number of electrons in the outer most shell/energy level
− There are eight groups of elements in the periodic table. Several of them have their family names as
indicated below:
− Group I: The alkali metals
− Group II: The alkaline earth metals
− Group VII: The halogens
− Group VIII or O: The noble gases (inert gases)
Chemical families of the periodic table

Group 1(Alkali metals)

− Group 1 elements are sometimes referred to as alkali metals.
− They are called alkali metals, because they react with water to form alkaline solution
e.g. sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.
− These elements are highly reactive to both air and water so they are usually stored
under oil or paraffin to prevent/stop them from reacting with moisture and oxygen gas
in air.
Physical properties of group I elements (alkali metals).
− They are soft and can easily be cut with a knife.
− They have a low density
− All have one electron in the outermost shell.
− They are more electropositive.
NB: Electropositivity is the tendency of an element to lose the outmost shell electrons.
− They are good conductors of heat and electricity.
− They have shiny surfaces.
Chemical properties
− Reactivity of group one metals increases down the group.
− They become more reactive down the group. i.e. Potassium is the
most reactive followed by sodium and lithium is the least reactive
in the group one.
Reaction with air
− Potassium burns in oxygen with a bright purple flame to form a
white solid.
4K(s) + O2(g) 2 K2O(s)

− Sodium burns with a bright yellow flame in limited supply of

air(when oxygen is not enough) to form a white solid of sodium
oxide.
4 Na(s) + O2(g) 2 Na2O(s)

− In excess supply of air, sodium burns to form a yellow solid of

sodium peroxide.
2 Na(s) + O2(g) Na2O2(s)
NB;
sodium peroxide; Na2O2, is useful in preparation of oxygen gas.
When sodium peroxide is reacted with water, bubbles of a colourless
gas is given out, the gas is oxygen. Sodium hydroxide solution is
also formed.
2 Na2O2(s) + 2 H2O(g) 4NaOH(aq) + O2(g)

– Lithium burns with a red flame to form a white solid of lithium

oxide
4 Li(s) + O2(g) 2 Li2O(s)
Reaction with water.
− Group one elements react vigorously with water to form
hydrogen gas and a metal hydroxide.
− The reactivity of group one elements with water increases down
the group. Potassium is more reactive than Sodium and sodium
is more reactive than Lithium. Or K > Na > Li
Reaction of potassium with water
The reaction of potassium with water is very violent.
Potassium reacts vigorously with water to form a colourless gas and an alkaline
solution.
2 K(s) + 2H2O(l) 2 KOH(aq) + H2(g)
Reaction with chlorine
When a burning alkali metal is lowered into a gas jar containing chlorine, the metal
burns and reacts to form white solid.
Sodium forms white solid of sodium chlorine
Sodium + chlorine → sodium chloride
2 Na(s) + Cl2(g) 2NaCl(s)
Group II Elements
− Elements of this group are collectively called alkaline earth metals.
– This is because many of their compounds are found as minerals in rocks.
– Members of group II include; Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca)
and Barium (Ba).
Physical properties of group II elements.
– They are harder than group one metals.
– They are silvery grey in colour.
– They have two electrons in their outermost shells.
– They have a valence of two and hence are divalent.
– They form positive ions by losing two electrons.
– All are good conductors of heat and electricity
– They have high density
– They have high melting and boiling points.
Chemical properties of group II elements
1. Reaction with air.
− All combine directly with oxygen from the air forming white metal oxides
( basic oxides)
General equation is;
2M(s) + O2(g) 2MO(s)
Where M represents any group II metal
For example,
Magnesium burns with a very brilliant white flame producing
magnesium oxide.
Magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide
2 Mg(s) + O2(g) 2 MgO(s)

− Calcium reacts more vigorously and burns with a red flame to form calcium
oxide.
Calcium + oxygen → calcium oxide
2 Ca(s) + O2(g) 2 CaO(s)
2. Reaction with water

The reactivity of group II elements with water increases down the group. They
react with cold water with increasing vigor down the group to give metal
hydroxide and hydrogen.
The general equation for the reactions of group (II) metals with water would be;
M(s) + 2H2O(l) M(OH)2(aq) + H (g) 2
For example;
Calcium reacts with cold water giving hydrogen gas and calcium hydroxide.
The calcium hydroxide is slightly soluble in water and so forms a suspension,
which when filtered the filtrate is called limewater.
– Magnesium burns in steam to produce white magnesium oxide and hydrogen
gas.
Magnesium + steam magnesium oxide + hydrogen gas
Qn; Write an equation for the reaction of magnesium and calcium with water
3. Reaction with halogen
Elements of group II react with chorine to form the corresponding
metal chloride.
A general equation is;
M(s) + Cl2(g) MCl2(s)

Where M represents any group II element.

Write equation for the reaction of each of the group II metals below
with chlorine.
(i) Beryllium;
(ii) Magnesium
(iii) Calcium