LESSON 3

LESSON 3

The Periodic Table

CONTENT

1. Components of matter

2. The Periodic Table

3. Organisation of the elements

4. Properties of the elements

5. Use of elements

6. Bioelements

Everything in the whole universe is made up of a series of common components that combine to create all forms of matter.Each of these building blocks are called ATOMS, tiny particles with different properties, like size or mass. Scientist use the name ELEMENTS to refer every type of atom which can be observed in a substance.

The historical journey though years to accept the presence of atoms in matter has been long, starting in Ancient Greek and continues nowadays. Click on the icon to know more about it.

HISTORY OF ATOMS AND ELEMENTS

JOHN DALTON

GREEK PHILOSOPHERS

MARIE CURIE

LEUCIPUS & DEMOCRITUR

DMITRI MENDELEEV

LISE MEITNER

is a chart which contains all the known components of matter, called ELEMENTS, arranged in a series of rows and columns that are related to their physical and chemical properties.

PERIODIC TABLE

In the mid-19th century, Dmitri Mendeleyev was the first chemist to create the original version of this organisation, based on a regular pattern in which elements with the same behaviour were placed in the same column.

It summarises information to predict the reactivity of elements comparing their positions.

CHEMICAL SYMBOLS

Every element is represented by one or two letters just to write them down easily when scientists describe the chemical composition of matter. The first letter is always written in upper-case, and those symbols composed by a second letter, that one is always written in lower-case.

THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS WE ARE STUDYING THIS YEAR!!

ELEMENT NAMES

Every element is called by an original name based on different sources, which are related to their symbols. Click on the red buttom to know more about it.

ORIGIN OF NAMES

THESE ARE THE ELEMENTS WE ARE STUDYING THIS YEAR!!

INITIALS

LATIN

MYTHOLOGY

UNIVERSE

GEOGRAPHY

SCIENTISTS

PROPERTIES

INITIALS

H Hidrógeno

Li Litio

Ca Calcio

Ti Titanio

Co Cobalto

Ni Níquel

B Boro

Si Silicio

Bi Bismuto

Te Telurio

Ar Argón

I Iodo/Yodo ...

LATIN

Na Sodio (Natrium)

K Potasio (Kalium)

Fe Hierro (Ferrum)

Cu Cobre (Cuprum)

Ag Plata (Argentum)

Au Oro (Aurum)

Hg Mercurio (Hidrargirium)

Sn Estaño (Stannum)

Pb Plomo (Plumbum)

P Fósforo (Phosphorus)

Sb Antimonio (Stibium)

S Azufre (Sulfur)

MYTHOLOGY

Ti Titanio (Titanes)

V Vanadio (Vanadis)

Hg Mercurio

Se Selenio (Selene)

He Helio (Helios)

U Uranio (Urano)

Np Neptunio (Neptuno)

Pu Plutonio (Plutón)

Ce Cerio (Ceres)

Pd Paladio (Palas)

Eu Europio (Europa)

Nb Niobio (Niobe) ...

UNIVERSE

Ti Titanio (Titán)

Hg Mercurio

Se Selenio (Luna)

Te Telurio (Tierra)

He Helio (Sol)

U Uranio (Urano)

Np Neptunio (Neptuno)

Pu Plutonio (Plutón)

Ce Cerio (Ceres)

Pd Paladio (Palas)

GEOGRAPHY

Fr Francio (Francia)

Mg Magnesio (Magnesia)

Sc Escandio (Escandinavia)

Ga Galio (Galia)

Ge Germanio (Germania)

Po Polonio (Polonia)

Mc Moscovio (Moscú)

Am Americio (América)

Cf Californio (California)

Bk Berkelio (Berkeley)

Eu Europio (Europa)

SCIENTISTS

Cm Curio (Marie Curie)

Mt Meitnerio (Lise Meitner)

Rf Rutherfordio (Rutherford)

Bh Bohrio (Bohr)

Cn Copernicio (Copérnico)

Es Einstenio (Einstein)

Fm Fermio (Fermi)

Md Mendelevio (Mendeleyev)

No Nobelio (Nobel)

PROPERTIES

Rb Rubidio (Rojo)

Cs Cesio (Celeste)

Be Berilio (Berilo/Esmeralda)

Ba Bario (Pesado)

Ra Radio (Radiactivo)

Ti Titanio (Duro)

Cr Cromo (Color)

Au Oro (Brillante)

Cl Cloro (Verde)

P Fósforo (Luz)

Br Bromo (Herdor)

Ne Neón (Nuevo) ...

The elements in the Periodic Table have an individual number, called the ATOMIC NUMBER and represented by the letter Z, which indicates their positions on the chart.This is really useful to identify any atom on the table just by asking its atomic number.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

As it will be seen in LESSON 4, this number tell us the amount of subatomic particles (protons) in each atom.

The elements are ordered by increasing atomic numbers, from left to right, and from top to bottom. However, we have to take into consideration two exceptions.

Click on the right red buttom to study the complete sequence of atomic numbers

We start with the first row (PERIOD), with Hydrogen (top left) as Z = 1, and continue to Hellium (top right) with Z = 2. Then comes the second row, from Lithium (Z = 3) on the left to Neon (Z = 10) on the right. And so on.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

We start with the first row (PERIOD), with Hydrogen (top left) as Z = 1, and continue to Hellium (top right) with Z = 2. Then comes the second row, from Lithium (Z = 3) on the left to Neon (Z = 10) on the right. And so on.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

We follow this procedure until Lanthanum, element with Z = 57, where the Periodic Table splits to begin with the first row on the block in the bottom part.

We start with the first row (PERIOD), with Hydrogen (top left) as Z = 1, and continue to Hellium (top right) with Z = 2. Then comes the second row, from Lithium (Z = 3) on the left to Neon (Z = 10) on the right. And so on.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

We follow this procedure until Lanthanum, element with Z = 57, where the Periodic Table splits to begin with the first row on the block in the bottom part.

Element number 58 is Cerium that keeps the numbering pattern to the right until we reach Lutetium, with Z = 71. On that point, we go back to the main table to number Hafnium.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

After Hafnium (Z = 72), the rest of elements before Actinium (Z = 89) are assigned by increasing atomic numbers, from left to right, as the main rule.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

After Hafnium (Z = 72) the rest of elements before Actinium (Z = 89) are assigned by increasing atomic numbers, from left to right as the main rule.

The second stop point is Thorium, with atomic number 90, that is not on the right side of Actinium, but in the second row of the block below the main body of the table.

ATOMIC NUMBERS (Z)

After Hafnium (Z = 72) the rest of elements before Actinium (Z = 89) are assigned by increasing atomic numbers, from left to right as the main rule.

The second stop point is Thorium, with atomic number 90, that is not on the right side of Actinium, but in the second row of the block below the main body of the table.

Finally, after giving numbers to elements from Z = 91 to 103, we complete the atomic number assignment with the last elements in the 7th row, from 104 to 118.

PERIODS & GROUPS

The elements in the Periodic Table are placed in the form of different horizontal (rows called PERIODS) and vertical (columns named GROUPS) lines of boxes. This is because the elements in the same column have similar physical and chemical properties.

Click on the right red buttom to watch the properties of elements in the first column, called Group of Alkali Metals.

In the Periodic Table we can find:

7 PERIODS

18 GROUPS

PERIODS & GROUPS

The elements in the Periodic Table are placed in the form of different horizontal (rows called PERIODS) and vertical (columns named GROUPS) lines of boxes. This is because the elements in the same column have similar physical and chemical properties.

Click on the right red buttom to watch the properties of elements in the first column, called Group of Alkali Metals.

In the Periodic Table we can find:

7 PERIODS

18 GROUPS

18

13

14

15

16

17

PERIODS & GROUPS

The elements in the Periodic Table are placed in the form of different horizontal (rows called PERIODS) and vertical (columns named GROUPS) lines of boxes. This is because the elements in the same column have similar physical and chemical properties.

10

11

12

Click on the right red buttom to watch the properties of elements in the first column, called Group of Alkali Metals.

In the Periodic Table we can find:

7 PERIODS

18 GROUPS

PROPERTIES

When we look at the physical and chemical properties of the elements in the Periodic Table, we can find two main classifications:

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

SOLID ELEMENTS

Most of the pure elements are in solids state at room temperature, but the can melt when heated. So, they normally have high densities .

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

LIQUIDELEMENTS

There are only two elements in liquid state at room temperature: grey Mercury and red Bromine. We must be careful when handle them.

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

Click on the element boxes just to wath some photos or videos

GASEOUSELEMENTS

Up to five elements, apart from the Noble Gases, are in gaseous state at room temperature. Most of them, except Nitrogen, are very reactive.

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

Click on the element boxes just to wath some photos or videos

NON-METALS are:

METALS are:

When we look at the physical and chemical properties of the elements in the Periodic Table, we can find two main classifications:

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

SEMIMETALS are:

elements with some properties from metals, and other from non-metals

NOBLE GASES

NOBLE GASES are:

elements in gas state which are inert (very poor reactivity)

METALS

The majority of elements in the Periodic Table have metallic properties. They are located in the left and bottom side of the chart.

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

NON-METALS

Few elements are included in this category, which are placed in the upper right side of the Periodic Table, except from Hydrogen.

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

SEMIMETALS or METALLOIDS

They are in the border between metals and non-metals; because of that they form a stair in the Periodic Table.

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

NOBLE GASES

They are included in group 18 of the Periodic Table (the last column on the right).

SOLID

PHYSICAL STATE

LIQUID

GAS

METALS

METALLIC CHARACTER

NON-METALS

SEMIMETALS

NOBLE GASES

USES OF THE MAIN ELEMENTS

Place the mouse on the element boxes to get the information

Chemical elements are also in our bodies because they are made of matter, and all types of matter contain atoms of different elements. We use the word BIOELEMENTS to refer to elements present in living matter.

In particular, the human body is mainly formed by six MACROELEMENTS (C, H, O, N, P and S) and five MICROELEMENTS (Na, K, Mg, Ca and Cl).

Less than 1% of the human body contains other vital elements, so we name them TRACE ELEMENTS or OLIGOELEMENTS (Fe, Cu, Zn, I, etc).