LESSON 1

TOPIC 4: PERIODICITY 1
TOPIC COMPETENCY: The learner analyzes the trends and periodic properties of
elements, to explain and predict the reactivity and properties of elements in the Periodic
Table.
SUB -TOPICS
1. The Periodic Tablee
(a) Historical Development:
Mendeleev's Periodic Table was initially organized by atomic mass but had gaps
that suggested the existence of undiscovered elements. Moseley later reorganized
it by atomic number, leading to the modern Periodic Table.
(b) Periodic Table Organization:
The Periodic Table is organized by increasing atomic number and grouped
according to chemical properties. Elements are arranged in periods (rows) and
groups (columns). The layout reflects recurring trends in element properties.
(c) Reactivity Trends:
Elements show varying reactivity trends across periods and down groups in the Periodic
Table. For example, metals tend to be more reactive as you move down Group 1, whereas
non-metals show increased reactivity as you move across Period 2.
Key Points:
 Atomic Number: Defines the number of protons in an atom and its position in the
Periodic Table.
 Periods and Groups: Horizontal rows (periods) indicate energy levels; vertical
columns (groups) indicate elements with similar properties.
2. Variation in trends of properties across the periods and diagonal relationships
(a) Trends in Physical Properties:
 Atomic Radius: Decreases across a period and increases down a group.
 Ionization Energy: Generally, increases across a period and decreases down a
group.
 Electronegativity: Increases across a period and decreases down a group.
 Electron affinity
 Electro positivity
(b) Period 3 elements
 Physical properties of period 3 elements (physical state, melting points, structure
and bonding, metallic character).
 Chemical properties (reactivity with water, dilute acids and alkali) of elements
like sodium, magnesium, and aluminium and sulphur.
 Compounds of period 3 elements and their properties. These are oxides and and
chlorides focusing on their (structure and bonding, melting points, reaction with
dilute acids, alkalis and water) of period 3
  Test tube experiments to identify aluminium and magnesium ions
(c) Diagonal Relationships and Trends Across Periods
Some elements in the Periodic Table show similar properties despite being in
different groups. For example, Lithium (Group 1) and Magnesium (Group 2) exhibit
similarities in their chemical behavior, known as diagonal relationships.
3. Trends in properties of Group 2 elements
 Physical properties of group II elements (melting point, metallic radii and density)
of group 2 elements,
 Reactivity of Group 2 metals with air, water and dilute acids.
 Compounds of group II elements (Hydroxides, Sulphates, nitrates and carbonates)
and their properties like solubility, effect of heat and action of dilute acids.
 Test tube experiments to identify ions in group 2 compounds
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 Applications of Group 2 Elements and their compounds: Projects to make
different industrial products from group 2 compounds.
 Learners will carry out experiments to observe the reactivity of Group 2 metals
(Magnesium, Calcium, Barium) with water and dilute acids.
 Learners identify calcium, magnesium ions
 Data Analysis: Learners will analyze and present their findings, linking reactivity
trends to the positions of these elements in the Periodic Table.
CLASS NOTES
1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERIODIC TABLE

(a) Use you tube videos or search for information on the

historical development of the Periodic Table (from
Mendeleev’s design to Mosely’s atomic concept), discuss its
organisation and write group reports.
(b) Articulate the historical reasons for certain arrangements
in the periodic table to clear any misconceptions
The development of the Periodic Table was a gradual process involving several key
scientists who contributed to its modern form.
Early Attempts to Classify Elements
1789: Antoine Lavoisier categorized elements into metals, nonmetals, and gases based on
their properties.
1829: Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner proposed the Law of Triads, grouping elements in
sets of three with similar properties (e.g., lithium, sodium, potassium).
Mendeleev’s Periodic Table (1869)
Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, arranged 63 known elements in order of increasing
atomic mass and noticed repeating trends in properties.
He left gaps for undiscovered elements and accurately predicted their properties (e.g.,
gallium, germanium, and scandium).
However, some elements did not fit well when strictly ordered by atomic mass (e.g.,
iodine and tellurium).
Moseley’s Periodic Law (1913)
Henry Moseley, a British physicist, conducted X-ray spectroscopy experiments and
discovered that elements should be arranged by atomic number rather than atomic mass.

This reorganization resolved inconsistencies in Mendeleev’s table and led to the Modern
Periodic Law: It states that “when elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic
number, there is a periodic repetition of their chemical and physical properties.”
Modern Periodic Table (1940–Present)
The introduction of noble gases (by William Ramsay in 1898) and the discovery of
synthetic elements refined the table.
Glenn T. Seaborg (1940s) introduced the actinide series, adjusting the table’s structure.
Today, the Periodic Table consists of 118 elements, categorized into groups and periods,
with a structure based on electron configurations.
2. PERIODIC TABLE ORGANIZATION
What is the Periodic Table? Why is Periodic Table Made?
The periodic table is an arrangement of all the elements known to man in
accordance with their increasing atomic number and recurring (or similar) chemical
properties. They are arranged in a tabular form wherein a row is a period and a column is
a group. Elements are arranged from left to right and top to bottom in the order of their
increasing atomic numbers. Thus, elements in the same group will have the same
valence electron configuration and hence, similar chemical properties whereas,
elements in the same period will have an increasing order of valence electrons as a
full shell of electrons is added from element to element.

The first 94 elements of the periodic table are naturally occurring, while the rest from
95 to 118 have only been synthesized in laboratories or nuclear reactors.

Groups and periods

The rows in the table are called periods and the columns are the groups. The groups are
again classified into two subgroups – A and B. There are sixteen groups under the
headings: IA to VIII A or O and IB – VII B and VIII where VIII contains three groups.
The elements placed in ‘A’ subgroups called typical, representative, normal or main
group elements. While the elements placed in sub – group B are called transition
metals/elements.
Therefore, the periodic table has a total of 18 groups and 7 periods. The first period has
only 2 elements. The second and third periods have 8 elements each. The fourth and
fifth have 18 elements each. The sixth has 32 elements. The seventh period has 32
elements and is incomplete.
Period Length Number of elements
st
1 Very short period 2
nd rd
2 and 3 Short periods 8 each
th th
4 and 5 Long periods 18 each
th
6 Very long 32
th
7 Incomplete -
The number of elements in each period of the periodic table is equal to the number
of electrons filled in the corresponding electronic shell and a new period begins with
an element that has one electron in a new main energy level (i.e., new shell)
There is a separate group of elements at the bottom of the table. It consists of 14
elements of the sixth period called the lanthanides and 14 elements of the seventh period
called the actinides.
Note:
 Groups 1, 2, and 13–18 are the main group elements, listed as A in older tables.
 Groups 3–12 are in the middle of the periodic table and are the transition
elements, listed as B in older tables. The two rows of 14 elements at the bottom of
the periodic table are the lanthanides and the actinides, whose positions in the
periodic table are indicated in group 3.
 The main group elements are also known as the representative elements
belonging to the s-block and p-block of the periodic table and are most abundant
on earth and space. Many elements in the main group are necessary to life on
earth, specifically oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen.
 Groups may also be identified using their topmost element, or have a specific
name (I. U. P. A. C). For example, group 1 is also described as the "Lithium
group" and as the "Alkali metals" by I.U.P.A.C
 The diagram showing the periodic table of elements
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Groups10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
IA IIA III IV VB VI VII VIII IB IIB III IV VA VI VII VIII
B B B B A A A A A
1 4
1 H 2 He

2 7 9 11 12 14 16 19 20
3 Li 4 Be 5 B 6 C 7 N 8 O 9 F 10 Ne

3 23 24 27 28 31 32 35 40
11 Na 12 Mg 13 Al 14 Si 15 P 16 S 17 Cl 18 Ar
Periods

4 39 40 45 48 51 52 55 56 59 59 64 65 70 73 75 79 80 84
19 K 20 Ca 21 Sc 22 Ti 23 V 24 Cr 25 Mn 26 Fe 27 Co 28 ¿ 29 Cu 30 Zn 31 Ga 32 ¿ 33 As 34 Se 35 Br 36 Kr

5 86 88 89 91 92 96 99 101 103 106 108 112 115 119 122 128 127 131
37 Rb 38 Sr 39 Y 40 Zr 41 Nb 42 Mo 43 Tc 44 Ru 45 Rh 46 Pd 47 Ag 48 Cd 49 ¿ 50 Sn 51 Sb 52 Te 53 I 54 Xe

6 133 137 139 178 181 184 186 190 192 195 197 201 204 207 209 209 210 222
55 Cs 56 Ba 57 La 72 Hf 73 Ta 74 W 75 ℜ 76 Os 77 Ir 78 Pt 79 Au 80 Hg 81 Tl 82 Pb 83 Bi 84 Po 85 At 86 Ru

7 223 226 227

87 Fr 88 Ra 89 Ac

Lanthanid 140 141 144 145 152 159 162 159 162 165 167 169 173 175
58 Ce 59 Pr 60 Nd 61 Pm 62 Sm 63 Eu 64 Eu 65 Tb 66 Dy 67 Hd 68 Er 69 Yb 70 Yb 71 Lu
es

Actinides 232 231 238 237 244 243 247 247 251 254 257 256 254 257
90 Th 91 Pu 92 U 93 Np 94 Pu 95 Am 96 Cm 97 Bk 98 Cr 99 Es 100 Fm 101 My 102 No 103 Lw
Metals, Non-metals, and Metalloids of the Periodic Table
Elements of the periodic table are grouped as metals, metalloids or semimetals,
and nonmetals. The metalloids separate the metals and nonmetals on a periodic table.
Metalloids include Boron, germanium, silicon, antimony, arsenic, tellurium and
pollonium are the seven most widely recognized metalloids.
Most of the periodic table elements are metals.

 The elements with the thick boders and called semi metals or metalloids

 Elements to the left of the metaloids are called metals. The exception
is hydrogen (H), the first element on the periodic table. At ordinary temperatures
and pressures, hydrogen behaves as a nonmetal

 Elements to the right of the metalloids are non - metals

Blocks of a Periodic Table

Depending upon the type of orbital/sub shell receiving the valence electrons, the
elements can be classified into four following blocks into four main blocks; these blocks
are s-block, p-block, d-block and f-block.
s-block elements
They are placed in the left-hand block of the table. The s-block contains the elements
whose outermost electrons occupy the s sub-energy level.
p-block elements
The p-block contains the elements whose outermost electrons occupy the p sub-
energy level except helium.
d-block elements
A d block element is an element whose d-subshell/d-sub energy level/d-orbitals is
progressively filled with electrons. They are located in period 4, 5 and 6
Or
Elements with a partially filled or fully filled d sub energy level
Or
A d-block element is one whose highest energy electrons are filled in the d-sub shell.
The d-block elements are classified into three series which are:
The first transition series (3d series):
It includes the elements in which the 3d sub-energy level is filled successively. It
lies in the fourth period and includes the elements from scandium ( 21Sc) to
zinc(30Zn).
The second transition series (4d series):
It includes the elements in which the 4d sub-energy level is filled successively. It
lies in the fifth period and includes the elements from yttrium ( 39Y) to cadmium
(48Cd).
The third transition series (5d series):
It includes the elements in which the 5d sub-energy level is filled successively.
It lies in the sixth period and includes the elements from lanthanum ( 57La) to
mercury (80Hg) , excluding the lanthanides.
f – block elements
The f block elements (lanthanides and actinides): This is an element whose f-subshell/f-
sub energy level/f-orbitals is progressively filled with electrons. They are called the
inner transition elements, located in period 6 and 7.
Or
A f-block element is one whose highest energy electrons are filled in the f-sub shell.
Or
Elements with a partially filled or fully filled f sub energy level.
f – block elements (inner transition metals) are classified into two series;
4f – series (lanthanide series)
It includes the elements in which the 4f- sub-energy level is filled successively. It
lies in the sixth period and includes the elements from cerium (Ce) with atomic
number of 58 to lutetium (Lu) with the atomic number of 71. These elements
follow lanthanum (La) with atomic number 57 and are known as lanthanides (or
lanthanoids)
5f – series (actinide series)
 It includes the elements in which the 4f- sub-energy level is filled successively. It
lies in the seventh period and includes the elements from thorium (Th) with atomic
number 90 to lawrencium (Lr) with atomic number 103. These elements follow
actinium (Ac) with atomic number 89 and are known as actinides (or actinoids).
3. REACTIVITY TRENDS IN THE PERIODIC TABLE

Reactivity in the periodic table follows distinct trends based on the position of elements and
their electron configurations. These trends differ between metals and nonmetals:

(a) Reactivity of Metals

(i) Trend Down a Group (e.g., Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metals)
 Reactivity increases as you move down a group.
 Atoms become larger, meaning the outermost electron is farther from
the nucleus.
 The weaker attraction between the nucleus and the valence electron
makes it easier to lose the electron, increasing reactivity.
 Example: Lithium (Li) < Sodium (Na) < Potassium (K) < Rubidium
(Rb) < Cesium (Cs) < Francium (Fr) in reactivity.

(ii) Trend Across a Period (Left to Right)

 Reactivity decreases across a period for metals.
 Increased nuclear charge (more protons) attracts electrons more
strongly, making it harder for metals to lose their valence electrons.
 Example: Sodium (Na) is more reactive than Magnesium (Mg),
which is more reactive than Aluminum (Al).
(b) Reactivity of Non-metals

(i) Trend Down a Group (e.g., Halogens)

 Reactivity decreases down a group.
 Larger atomic size and increased electron shielding make it harder to
attract additional electrons.
 Example: Fluorine (F) > Chlorine (Cl) > Bromine (Br) > Iodine (I) >
Astatine (At) in reactivity.

(ii) Trend Across a Period (Left to Right)

 Reactivity increases across a period for non-metals.

 Non-metals tend to gain electrons, and as nuclear charge increases, the
ability to attract electrons improves.
 Example: Oxygen (O) is more reactive than Nitrogen (N), and
Fluorine (F) is the most reactive non-metal.

3. Noble Gases
 Group 18 elements (noble gases) are generally unreactive due to their full
valence electron shells, making them chemically stable.