Understanding The Periodic Table
Understanding The Periodic Table
All of the numbers, letters, and colors of the Periodic Table of Elements can seem a bit overwhelming. This is a guide designed to clear the confusion that many of us have about chemistry's most useful tool.
Periodic Table of Elements
Tip 1 Selecting the right table:
Unclear Example of The Periodic Table of Elements
(The Periodic Table above is an example of a BAD table to use)
A plain, uncolored periodic table is not useful for learning the basics of chemistry because it lacks the key information needed to understand elements. Without a color-coded legend, you cannot easily tell if an element is a metal, nonmetal, or metalloid, which are essential for predicting how elements will react. Crucially, a good table must include the atomic mass and a visual indication for the element's state (solid, liquid, or gas). Therefore, a complete, labeled and COLORED table is necessary to see the important periodic trends and understand chemical behavior.
Tip 2 Familiarize Yourself With The Table
Zoom-in of The Periodic Table of Elements
After selecting a suitable table, familiarize yourself with the periodic table by noticing the different sections distinguished by color, which represent categories of elements like metals and nonmetals. Each element block has a unique chemical symbol (like Na/Sodium) and its atomic number, telling you the number of protons and electrons. The block also includes the atomic mass for calculations. This organized system, using color and data, makes it much simpler to understand!
Tip 3 The Legend
The legend is a simple tool designed to help you easily identify what category an element is classified as based on its color within your periodic table. For example, if an element is shaded orange, that element is an Alkali Metal (as shown in the image above).
Periodic Table of Elements
Periodic Table of Elements
Helium
Tip 5 Groups & Periods
Groups of the Periodic Table are the Columns that go down, elements in the same group have the same valence electrons (same amount of electrons in the outermost shell). Meanwhile, periods of the table are the rows that go from left to right horizontally, elements in the same period have the same amount of energy shells.
Diagram of Periods and Groups
Tip 6 Atomic Size
Atomic size is organized beginning in the top right of the table with helium (He) being the smallest element. Size increases on the table from right to left on a period and top to bottom in a group with the element in the bottom left of the table (francium or Fr) being the largest of all the elements.
Ultimately, having a good periodic table is crucial to success in your chemistry journey as it serves as a helpful tool throughout the topic!
The Atomic Size scale
Tip 4 Numbers and Letters
To put it into simple words, each element on the Periodic Table of Elements has a box and in the boxes are the numbers and letters. So now you’re wondering, what do those mean? Referring to the image above which is the box for Helium, the big symbol saying “He” is the atomic symbol that is commonly used for writing formulas. Above the atomic symbol is the atomic number which shows the number of protons and electrons in the atom. Finally below the atomic symbol is the Atomic mass which is the total weight of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom.
Groups of the Periodic Table are the Columns that go down, elements in the same group have the same valence electrons (same amount of electrons in the outermost shell). Meanwhile, periods of the table are the rows that go from left to right horizontally, elements in the same period have the same amount of energy shells.
