The Modern Periodic Table

• The periodic table helps you to see patterns in properties
• There are around 100 elements, which all materials are made of
• In the periodic table the elements are laid out in order of increasing atomic (proton) number
• Arranging the elements in increasing atomic number means there are repeating patterns in the properties of the elements
• It's a handy tool for working out which elements are metals and which are non-metals
• Metals are found on the left and non-metals on the right of the periodic table
• Elements with similar properties form columns
• The vertical columns in the periodic table are called groups
• The group number tells you how many electrons there are in the outer shell. The exception to this rule is group 0
• All elements in the same group are likely to react in a similar way
• If you know the properties of one element, you can predict properties of other elements in that group - you might be asked to do this in an exam
• You can also make predictions about trends in reactivity. E.g. in group 1, the elements react more vigorously as you go down the group
• In group 7, reactivity decreases as you go down the group
• The rown are called periods. Each new period represents another full shell of electrons