Copy - Periodic table

Alkali metals

Alkaline earth metals

Post-transition metals

These elements have some of the classic characteristics of the transition metals. They tend to be softer and conduct more poorly than other transition metals.

Shiny and soft enough to cut with a knife, these metals start with lithium (Li) and end with francium (Fr).

Each of these elements has two electrons in its outermost energy level, which makes them reactive enough that they're rarely found alone in nature.

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Other non-metals

Metalloids

Noble gases

Colorless, odorless and almost completely nonreactive, the inert, or noble gases round out the table in Group 18.

Everything to the upper right of the staircase — plus hydrogen (H), stranded way back in Group 1 — is a nonmetal.

They form the staircase that represents the gradual transition from metals to nonmetals.

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Transition metals

Halogens

Actinides

The halogens are quite chemically reactive and tend to pair up with alkali metals to produce various types of salt.

Hard but malleable, shiny, and possessing good conductivity, these elements are what you typically think of as metal.

Of these elements, only thorium (Th) and uranium (U) occur naturally on Earth in substantial amounts.

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Lanthanides

The elements in this group have a silvery white color and tarnish on contact with air.

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