Island School Chemistry 1b

Glossary – The Periodic Table & Equations

Word Equation A description of a chemical reaction using the names of the reactants
and products.
Chemical Equation A balanced symbol equation which demonstrates the reactants,
products and number of atoms in a chemical reaction
Alkali metal A metal in group 1 of the Periodic Table. Common alkali metals include
lithium, sodium and potassium.
Alkaline earth metal A metal in group 2 of the Periodic Table. Common alkaline earth
metals include calcium and magnesium.
Halogen An element in group 7 of the Periodic Table. The word halogen means
'salt producer’. Common halogens are chlorine, bromine and iodine.
Noble Gas An element in group 0 (8) of the Periodic Table. Noble gases have a
full outer shell and are unreactive. Common noble gases include
helium, neon and argon.
Transition Metal A metal found between Groups 2 and 3 in the Periodic Table. They
have characteristic properties such as catalysts, coloured compounds
and have variable oxidation states.
Group A vertical column of the Periodic Table containing elements with the
same number of valence electrons and similar properties.
Period A horizontal row of the Periodic Table containing elements with the
same number of electron shells.
Trend A pattern in properties moving up or down a group
Periodic pattern A change in properties that has a pattern which repeats in each period.
Periodic Table A table of elements arranged in order of increasing atomic number to
show the similarities of the chemical elements. The elements are
arranged in vertical groups and horizontal periods.
Reactivity How readily a substance will react.
Physical changes A change that can be reversed without a chemical reaction.
Chemical change In a chemical change, a new substance is formed. A permanent colour
change may be seen and energy is sometimes produced.
Physical properties Facts describing what the chemical is like e. g. melting point, electrical
Conductivity, density and solubility
Density The mass of substance contained in 1cm3. Units are g/cm3. A dense
substance feels heavy.
Conductivity The ability of a material to conduct electrical current.
Chemical properties Facts describing how a chemical behaves e. g. reactions with oxygen
Oxide The compound formed when an element joins to oxygen.
Acid-base character The ability of a substance to behave as an acid or a base when
forming solutions and in chemical reactions.
Displacement Reaction One in which a more reactive element takes the place of a less
reactive element in a compound.
Thermal Decomposition A reaction where heat is used to break down a compound.
Greenhouse Gas Atmospheric gas which absorbs heat and contributes global warming.