Periodic Table: Group Names - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

The periodic table organizes elements into seven horizontal periods and 18 vertical groups, also known as families or series. Elements in the same group share similar chemical properties due to their electron arrangements. Special names are given to certain groups: alkali metals (Group 1), alkaline earth metals (Group 2), pnictogens (Group 15), chalcogens (Group 16), halogens (Group 17), and noble gases (Group 18). Two additional rows, the lanthanides and actinides, are placed separately at the bottom. The periodic table is dynamic, with the potential for new elements to be added as discoveries are made, indicating that the current seven periods could expand in the future. Understanding the layout of the periodic table is foundational in chemistry, as it provides insights into the properties and behaviors of elements.

Periodic Table: Group Names

So for the periodic table, we can further organize the elements in terms of periods and groups. Now when we're talking about periods, we're referring to the seven horizontal rows that start from the far left of the periodic table. So if we take a look here, we have hydrogen, which is H₂HE, which is helium. This is our first row. So this is. One, Lithium to neon, that's row two or period two. And we can see that we have in total 7 rows on the periodic table.

Now remember here where we have this thicker black line we're going to say in between LA and HF resides this entire row in yellow, and between AC and RF resides this entire bottom row that's in Gray. Remember, to make the periodic table more presentable, we tend to take those two rows out and put them on the bottom. Now, what you also need to realize is that currently there are 7 rows of the periodic table, but the periodic table itself is not static. That means it's not going to be this way forever.

In fact, some of the elements in the 7th row, such as these four here, they've only recently been named and placed on the periodic table. So within this century, they were discovered and synthesized within labs. This means that there are 7 roles right now, but maybe in 100 years, as our technology gets better, as we explore the universe, we may stumble upon new elements and they're going to be added to an eighth row and then maybe to a 9th row and then so on and so forth. So the number of rows is really based on our capacity to create and find new elements in the universe.

Just realize that periods are rows. Currently there are seven of the periodic table. In the future there may be more. Now where are periods our rows? Our groups are the vertical columns of the periodic table and they can also be called series or families. Now we're going to say there are eighteen groups with many of them having their own unique names. So when we're talking about columns, so for example H all the way down to Fr is 1 column be all the way down to RA as a column. So this goes from 1 to 18. So we're just numbering here 89101112 and then 13 to 18.

So there are 18 different columns known as groups, families or series. Now we're going to say because of electron arrangements, elements in the same groups have similar chemical properties. We'll learn more about what these electron arrangements mean in much later chapters. Just realize for now, if elements are found in the same group, for the most part they're going to have similar chemical properties. Now, some of these groups have special names. If we take a look here, what's shaded in brown, which is lithium to Fr. We call these our alkali metals.

Then what's shaded in red from be down to RA. We call these our alkaline earth metals. Then what's shaded in green from north to MC? These are known as our nicktogins O to LV. These are called chalcogens. In purple, those are named as halogens, so F to TS and then from He to OG. They, they have two different names. They're called our noble gases or our inert gases. So noble and inert kind of go hand in hand with each other. They were called inert gases at one point because it was believed that they were so stable that nothing would react with them, so they would be called inert.

But upon further of experiments, they found out that some of them are reactive and some of them do form compounds. So they had to basically instead of sending nurt gases, they said Noel gases. But again, oftentimes chemists will use them interchangeably. They'll say the noble gases are the inert gases, even though some of them are not inert. Now the last two are not columns but actual rows. So this row here, this top yellow row here, these are known as our lanthanide, OK? And they're called lanthanides because they come right after LA. And this row here that's in Gray, they're right after AC, so they're called our actinides.

So these are the different names for the groups of the periodic table. So I know I presented a lot of information to you right now, but just keep in mind, we have our periods and we have our rows, which are the periods, and then we have our groups, which are our columns. This is how we further break down the periodic table.

Periodic Table: Group Names Example 1

So In this example problem, it says which of the following is a metal in the fourth period. O. Remember, fourth period means that we're dealing with the 4th row in the periodic table. And remember, the three classifications for elements in periodic table are metals, nonmetals, and metalloids.

So looking in the 4th row, let's look at see where each of these choices are located. So we have NA, Sodium. Sodium is a metal, but it's not in the fourth period. It's in the third period. The 3rd row strontium is also a metal but it's in the fifth period or 5th row.

Next we have bromine which is branch, so it's over here. Now bromine is in the fourth period, but bromine if we remember is a non metal. Calcium, Calcium is right here. Calcium is a metal and it's in the fourth period. So this looks like it will be our answer.

But let's look at the other choices. We have aluminum here, Aluminum is right here. It is a metal, but it is in the third period or third row, so it cannot be our answer. So as a result, only option D is the correct choice.

Which of the following is a metalloid that is also a chalcogen?

• A. B
• B. Ge
• C. Te
• D. As
• E. Cl

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

How many groups are there in the periodic table?

The periodic table is organized into 18 vertical columns known as groups or families. These groups are numbered from 1 to 18, according to the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) system. Each group contains elements that have similar chemical properties, largely due to the fact that they have the same number of valence electrons. For example, Group 1 contains the alkali metals, which all have one valence electron and are highly reactive. On the other end, Group 18 contains the noble gases, which are inert because they have a full valence shell. Understanding the groupings is essential for predicting the behavior of different elements and their potential chemical reactions.

What are the groups on the periodic table?

The periodic table is organized into several groups based on the properties and configurations of the elements. The vertical columns on the periodic table are known as groups or families, and there are 18 of them in total.

1. Alkali Metals (Group 1): These are highly reactive elements, especially with water, and include lithium (Li), sodium (Na), and potassium (K).
2. Alkaline Earth Metals (Group 2): These are also reactive, though less so than Group 1, and include beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca).
3. Transition Metals (Groups 3-12): These elements are less reactive, have high melting points, and include iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and gold (Au).
4. Boron Group (Group 13): This group includes both metals and metalloids, such as boron (B) and aluminum (Al).
5. Carbon Group (Group 14): This diverse group includes nonmetals, metalloids, and metals like carbon (C) and silicon (Si).
6. Pnictogens (Group 15): This group contains a variety of elements including nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P).
7. Chalcogens (Group 16): This group includes oxygen (O) and sulfur (S).
8. Halogens (Group 17): These are highly reactive nonmetals, including fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl).
9. Noble Gases (Group 18): These are inert gases, including helium (He) and neon (Ne).

What is a period on the periodic table?

A period on the periodic table refers to the horizontal rows of elements. Each period starts with an element that has a single electron in a new outermost shell and ends with a noble gas that has a full outer shell. The periodic table has seven periods, with each subsequent period indicating a new principal energy level for the electrons of the atoms in that row.

As you move from left to right across a period, the atomic number increases, meaning each element has one more proton and one more electron than the element before it. This incremental increase changes the chemical properties of the elements as you proceed across the period. For instance, elements on the left side of a period tend to be metals with fewer electrons in their outer shell, while those on the right side are nonmetals with nearly full outer shells, resulting in different reactivity and bonding characteristics. The length of each period is determined by the number of orbitals available for electrons to occupy in that energy level.

What is the difference between a period and a group on the periodic table of elements?

On the periodic table of elements, a period refers to the horizontal rows. There are seven periods, which correspond to the number of electron shells an atom has. As you move from left to right across a period, the atomic number increases, and the elements become less metallic. Each period starts with an alkali metal and ends with a noble gas, except for the first period.

In contrast, a group (or family) is a vertical column on the periodic table. There are 18 groups, and elements within the same group share similar chemical properties because they have the same number of electrons in their outermost shell, known as valence electrons. For example, all elements in group 1 are alkali metals and have one valence electron, which makes them highly reactive. Groups can help predict how elements will react chemically and are often labeled with either a number (1 to 18) or a specific name, such as the halogens in group 17 or the noble gases in group 18.