e ri o d i c Tab l e

The P
of Elements
Essential Questions:

What is the Periodic Table of Elements?

How are the elements organized on the Periodic

Table?

What is the significance of the arrangement of the

periodic table on chemical reactions?
 Key Vocabulaneryutrons in the nucleus of one
and e bottom
ic M ass - Th e nu mber of protons le m e ntal symbol (at th
Atom d e r th e e
ent. Located un
atom of the elem ble)
e le m e nt b o x o n the periodic ta
of the its
ns c o nt a in e d in each nucleus of
proto top of
- The number of al symbol (at the
Atomic Number o ve r th e e le m e nt
ment. Located
atoms of the ele e perio d ic table)
m e nt b o x o n th
the ele ity,
ith a c ha rg e o f negative electric
rticle w solids.
le subatomic pa er of electricity in
Electron - A stab e p rim a ry c a rri
s and acting as th
found in all atom cleus. It
a n a to m a ro un d the atomic nu
o f
the outside part
Electron Shell - Is
trons are.
is where the elec ler
o t b e b ro ke n down into a simp
ance that ca nn
Element - A subst ans
st a nc e b y o rd in ary chemical me
sub ya
le tt e r o r c a p ita l letter followed b
l
- The single capita me of the eleme
nt.
Element Symbol re p re se nt s th e na
or letters that
lowercase letter
 Key Vocabulary
tomic
d o w n) o n th e periodic table.A
al column (up and
Groups - A vertic yo u move down the
group.
c re a se s a s
number in ton but
o f a b o ut th e sa me mass as a pro of
Neutron - A suba
tomic particle a ll a to m ic nu c lei except those
nt in
ic charge, prese
without an electr
n.
ordinary hydroge
n atom.
e ve ry d e ns e c entral region of a
Nucleus - Th . Atomic numbe
r
p e rio d ic ta b le
ht) in the
rio d s - A ho riz o ntal row (left to rig
Pe
s a s yo ur m o ve across a period.
increa se wn
in fo rm a tio n a b out all of the kno
anizes
A chart that org
Periodic Table - ies.
m e nt s a c c o rd in g to their propert
ele with a
o c c ur rin g in a ll atomic nuclei, f
to n- A st a b le su batomic particle d e to th a t o f a n electron, but o
Pro magni tu
charge equal in
positive electric
opposite sign.
 Key Vocabulary
r
to form bonds with othe
sc rib e s ho w likely an element is
Reactivity– D e
elements. ron) or a
neut
le sm a lle r th an an atom (e.g., a
le - A partic
Subatomic Partic s (e.g ., an alpha partic
le).
h p a rtic le
cluster of suc
oratory
a re m a d e b y scientists in a lab any
he tic Ele m e nt s - Elements tha t
m e nt s a re ty p ic ally identified as
Sy nt tic ele
in nature. Synthe
and do not exist ic number of 93 and
up.
th e a to m
element with y level
lo ca te d in th e outermost energ
t are
ns – Electrons tha
Valence Electro
of an atom.
What is the Periodic Table?
The periodic table, also known as the periodic table of elements, is a tabular display of
the chemical elements, which are arranged by atomic number, electron
configuration, and recurring chemical properties. The structure of the table shows
periodic trends. The seven rows of the table, called periods, generally have metals on
the left and non-metals on the right. The columns, called groups, contain elements
with similar chemical behaviours. Six groups have accepted names as well as assigned
numbers
History of the Periodic Table
Chemists have always looked for ways of arranging the elements to reflect the similarities
between their properties. The modern periodic table lists the elements in order of increasing
atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom). Historically, however, relative
atomic masses were used by scientists trying to organise the elements. This was mainly because
the idea of atoms being made up of smaller sub-atomic particles (protons, neutrons and
electrons) had not been developed. Nevertheless, the basis of the modern periodic table was
well established and even used to predict the properties of undiscovered elements long before
the concept of the atomic number was developed.
Major Contributions to the Periodic Table
1669 - German merchant and amateur alchemist Hennig Brand attempted to create
a Philosopher’s Stone; an object that supposedly could turn metals into pure gold. This
was the first discovery of phosphorus.

1680 - Robert Boyle also discovered phosphorus, and it became public.

1809 - at least 47 elements were discovered, and scientists began to see patterns in
the characteristics.

1863 - English chemist John Newlands divided the then discovered 56 elements into 11
groups, based on characteristics.

1869 - Russian chemist Dimitri Mendeleev started the development of the periodic
table, arranging chemical elements by atomic mass. He predicted the discovery of
other elements, and left spaces open in his periodic table for them.

1886- French physicist Antoine Bequerel first discovered radioactivity.

1894 - Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh discovered the noble gases, which were
added to the periodic table as group 0.
Major Contributions to the Periodic Table
Continued
1897 - English physicist J. J. Thomson first discovered electrons; small negatively
charged particles in an atom. John Townsend and Robert Millikan determined their
exact charge and mass.

1900 - Bequerel discovered that electrons and beta particles as identified by the
Curies are the same thing.

1911 - Rutherford and German physicist Hans Geiger discovered that electrons orbit
the nucleus of an atom.

1913 - Bohr discovered that electrons move around a nucleus in discrete energy
called orbitals. Radiation is emitted during movement from one orbital to another.

1914- Rutherford first identified protons in the atomic nucleus. He also transmutated a
nitrogen atom into an oxygen atom for the first time. English physicist Henry Moseley
provided atomic numbers, based on the number of electrons in an atom, rather than
based on atomic mass.

1932- James Chadwick first discovered neutrons, and isotopes were identified. This
was the complete basis for the periodic table. In that same year Englishman Cockroft
and the Irishman Walton first split an atom by bombarding lithium in a particle
accelerator, changing it to two helium nuclei.

1945 - Glenn Seaborg identified lanthanides and actinides (atomic number >92),
which are usually placed below the periodic table.
The Elements
At the time when elements were first being discovered, the structure of
atoms was not known. Scientists began to look at ways to arrange them
systematically so that similar properties could be grouped together, just as
someone collecting seashells might try to organise them by shape or colour.

The task was made more difficult because not all of the elements were
known. This left gaps, which made deciphering patterns a bit like trying to
assemble a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.

The periodic table is arranged in order of increasing atomic number (left to

right, top to bottom).
Electrons & The Elements
But why is there a separate box of elements below the main table, and why is the
main table an odd shape, with a bite taken out of the top? That comes down to
how the other component of the atom – the electrons – are arranged.

We tend to think of atoms as built a bit like onions, with seven layers of electrons
called “shells”, labelled K, L, M, N, O, P, and Q, surrounding the core nucleus.

Each row in the periodic table sort of corresponds to filling up one of these shells
with electrons. Each shell has subshells, and the order in which the shells/subshells
get filled is based on the energy required, although it’s a complicated process.

In simple terms, the first element in each row starts a new shell containing one
electron, while the last element in each row has two (or one for the the first row) of
the subshells in the outer shell fully occupied. These differences in electrons also
account for some of the similarities in properties between elements.
Electrons & The Elements Continued
With the one or two subshells in the outer layer full of electrons, the last
elements of each row are quite unreactive, as there are no holes or gaps in
the outer shell to interact with other atoms.

This is why elements in the last column, such as helium He, neon (Ne), argon
(Ar) and so on, are called the noble gases (or inert gases). They are all
gases and they are “noble” because they rarely associate with other
elements.

In contrast, the elements of the first column, with the exception of hydrogen
(just like English grammar, there’s always an exception!), are called alkali
metals. The first-column elements are metal-like in character, but with only
one electron in the outer shell, they are very reactive as this lone electron is
very easy to engage in chemical bonding. When added to water, they
quickly react to form an alkaline (basic) solution.
Design Your Own Periodic Table of Elements
Your task is to create your own Periodic Table of
Elements that articulates the unique patterns and
characteristics between everyday items, foods,
topics, and more!

You will have to choose a topic and create 20

“elements” in a unique periodic table. The table
must mimic the patterns and organization of the
real table.

There are a few examples

on the next few slides.
Here is a link to some
planning tools.
This is a strong example of a well planned out periodic table. Care was taken to organize and label
each part carefully. Color was used purposefully. The key is complete and helps one understand
the organization of the table. What was not taken into consideration is the numbers. Ideally, they
should increase from left to right and from top to bottom.