10.5.2: Families of the Periodic Table
- Page ID
- 477186
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Give the name and location of specific groups on the periodic table, including alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, noble gases, halogens, and transition metals.
- Identify elements that will have the most similar properties to a given element.
Families of the Periodic Table
Remember that Mendeleev arranged the periodic table so that elements with the most similar properties were placed in the same group. A group is a vertical column of the periodic table. All of the 1A elements have one valence electron. This is what causes these elements to react in the same ways as the other members of the family. The elements in 1A are all very reactive and form compounds in the same ratios with similar properties with other elements. Because of their similarities in their chemical properties, Mendeleev put these elements into the same group. Group 1A is also known as the alkali metals. Although most metals tend to be very hard, these metals are actually soft and can be easily cut.
Group 2A is also called the alkaline earth metals. Once again, because of their similarities in electron configurations, these elements have similar properties to each other. The same pattern is true of other groups on the periodic table. Remember, Mendeleev arranged the table so that elements with the most similar properties were in the same group on the periodic table.
It is important to recognize a couple of other important groups on the periodic table by their group name. Group 7A (or 17) elements are also called halogens. This group contains very reactive nonmetal elements.
The noble gases are in group 8A. These elements also have similar properties to each other, the most significant property being that they are extremely unreactive, rarely forming compounds. We will learn the reason for this later, when we discuss how compounds form. The elements in this group are also gases at room temperature.
The transition metals are in groups 3-12. These designation of elements contains ten groups. It turns out that for this portion of the periodic table, the variations from one group to the next are not quite as predictable, and grouping them as one large block better represents the chemistry going on in this part of the periodic table.
Section Summary
- The vertical columns on the periodic table are called groups or families because of their similar chemical behavior.
- All the members of a family of elements have similar chemical properties.
- Example groups that have very similar properties are alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, noble gases, and halogens.
- Transition metals are a block of several groups that have similar properties across the entire block.
Glossary
- alkali metal
- element in group 1
- alkaline earth metal
- element in group 2
- group
- vertical column of the periodic table
- halogen
- element in group 17
- noble gas
- (also, inert gas) element in group 18
- period
- horizontal row of the periodic table
- transition metal
- element in columns 3-11
Contributors
- Jamie MacArthur