It’s on every high school classroom. But only a few people truly understand the secrets that the table holds. Today, let’s dive in to the true nature of the periodic table.
At a first glance, the periodic table looks like a childish table with all sorts of colors and silly letters. Most people know that those letters stand for elements. What are elements really?
Elements are atoms. Atoms are comprised of three main parts: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The number of protons, electrons, and neutrons determine which element it is. It also determines the properties of each element.
Elements have an atomic number and an atomic weight. An atomic number is the order in which it is on the periodic table. The atomic weight is the weight of all the components in the atom.
The periodic table are arranged in periods and columns. All the elements in one period have the same number of electron shells, and all the electron in one column have the same number of electrons in its outer, or valence, shell.
This is demonstrated by looking at the first column of the periodic table. All have one electron it its valence shell. This leads to a volatile metal (or gas, in the case of hydrogen), especially when it comes in contact with water. This is why sodium, an element in the first column, is known for its reaction with water.
There are 7 groups on the periodic table. There are Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Transition Metals, Metalloids, Other Metals, Non-metals, Halogens, Noble Gases and Rare Earth Elements. These all share similar characteristics. For example, the noble gases are known for not interacting with other elements.
Stay tuned for next week, where we go over some examples and go into further detail!
Thanks for reading!
Note from the author: This article was written in 2021 on my old blog on medium. I am reposting it here for archival purposes. This article has been modified to fit the new blog.