Physical Science
The Periodic Table
The Periodic Table
Standards
SPS1 Students will investigate our current understanding of the atom.
SPS4 Students will investigate the arrangement of the Periodic Table.
Learning Tasks
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use the organization of the periodic table to understand the elements electronic structure
and ions formed.
assign oxidation numbers to elements based on electronic structure.
locate metals, nonmetals, and metalloids and the accompanying phases on the periodic
table.
Key Words
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Click here to download key terms used in this module.
Structure of the Atom and Periodic Table Video and
Activities
Watch the following video clips from Discovery Education. Each short movie introduces and
explains ideas related to the atomic structure of elements and the Periodic Table. Be prepared
to take notes on the important ideas explored in each video. Pause, fast-forward, and rewind at
anytime. As the videos play, pay very close attention to the following questions and try to
answer each.
1. What term refers to the arrangement and number of smaller particles in an atom?
2. What is the center or core of an atom?
3. What are the positively charged particles located in the nucleus?
4. What type of electrical charge do neutrons have?
5. What are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons called?
6. Which subatomic particles have a negative charge?
7. What is the sum of the weight of protons and neutrons?
8. How are elements in the periodic table ordered?
9. What are the most common elements on the periodic table?
10. What trait do elements in the family called the alkaline earth metals share?
Video source
Questions
Click here to download a copy of the questions below:
1. How is the periodic table organized with relation to atomic number?
2. Give the number of protons and electrons in each of the following neutral atoms. You may
use a periodic table found at the website WebElements if you need one.
Using the diagram above to answer questions 3 and 4.
3. What does the "3" represent?
4. What does the "6.941" represent?
5. Does Lithium always contain 3 protons?
6. Does Lithium always contain 3 neutrons?
7. In your own words describe isotopes.
Use the diagram above to answer questions 8 – 12.
8. Name the three isotopes of hydrogen.
9. What isotope of hydrogen has the lowest mass?
10. What isotope of hydrogen has the highest mass?
11. If Protium were a neutral atom how many electrons would it have?
12. What is the mass number of Tritium?
13. In your own words describe "mass number".
Structure of the Atom and Periodic Table: Matching
Activity
Using what was explored and discussed in the Structure of the Atom and Periodic Table
Video, match the following definitions and terms. Drag and drop the term within the light-blue
area above the correct definition.
Assignment Check - Structure of the Atom
After completing this work, you'll be prepared for a quiz over this material.
How to Use the Periodic Table
Go to the Learner.org Interactives: The Periodic Table website.
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Explore this resource. Everything a student needs to know about the Period Table is here. It's
one-stop shopping. Have a question about what's in an atom or what an isotope is? This is the
site to visit. In fact, stop and take a look at the site map for this resource.
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Use the resources at the site to solve the following crossword puzzle. Click here to download
a printable list of clues for this activity. For a printable puzzle, click here.
Periodic Table Video and Questions
Watch the following presentation about the Periodic Table. Pause, fast-forward, and rewind
when and if necessary. Be prepared to make note of important facts or ideas. In fact, here are
few concepts that are well worth understanding that may appear in the presentation:
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how elements are arranged
Mendeleev's contributions to the modern Periodic Table
electron clouds
how atoms combine in chemical reactions
how to read symbols
the importance of atomic mass and atomic number
Video source
More about Oxidation Numbers
What are oxidation numbers and how are they used in Chemistry? Oxidation numbers are
used to predict the ratio by which elements will combine. Most substances are composed of
more than one element.
Why do elements combine the way they do?
Note: Links to elements open Wikipedia entries about the element.
Each element tends to form ions with either a positive or negative electrical charge. Oxidation
numbers represent the charge that an atom tends to form.
For example, NaCl is the chemical formula for table salt. The element sodium (Na) combines
with the element chlorine (Cl). Oxidation numbers can be used to predict the ratio with which
the sodium and chlorine atoms will combine.
Although oxidation numbers can be determined using the Periodic Table, in this course you may
use a digital reference to obtain the oxidation numbers of each element. Elements tend to
combine so that the sum of their oxidation numbers is zero. The oxidation number of
sodium is +1. The oxidation number of chlorine is -1.
What is the sum of these two oxidation numbers?
Na (+1) + Cl (-1) = 0
So, one atom of Na tends to combine with one atom of Cl to form NaCl.
The University of Waterloo's Prof. Chung (Peter) Chieh's Oxidation States website provides
a helpful reference list of oxidation numbers.
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Periodic Table Questions
Visit the interactive fill-in-the-blank activity below to revisit and practice recalling ideas about
the Periodic Table. The activity will review concepts such as electron energy levels and
families/groups of elements.
Click here to download a printable copy of the fill-in-the-blank questions above.
Use the Periodic Table to supply the missing information to complete the table below. The
sidebar to the right contains links to a number of different versions of the Periodic Table. Feel
free to use any and all of them. Click here to download a copy of the table below.
Name
Carbon
Zinc
Chlorine
Symbol
Mg
Protons
2
Neutrons
2
16
146
Electrons
Atomic Number
Atomic Mass
Gold
53
35
238
Questions for Thought: Periodic Table
Go to the Periodic Table of Comic Books website. Read the introduction on the Periodic
Table of Comic Books. Choose one element from the Periodic Table. Click that element, and
choose one comic about that element.
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Summarize your comic.
Describe how your chosen element is either properly or improperly represented in
the comic. Is it given supernatural powers? Are its properties exaggerated? Are
characters unnecessarily afraid of the element
Feel free to add your own commentary that may or may not answer the above
questions.
Respond to at least two of your classmates.
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Element Enrichment
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The activities at the links below will help you review the elements and use the Periodic Table.
These resources are available thanks to the rich work done by the Jefferson Lab.
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Element Flash Cards - Learn the names and symbols of the elements
Element Math Game - Calculate the number of protons, neutrons or electrons in an
atom based on information from the Periodic Table of Elements
Element Hangman - Discover which element the computer has picked by guessing the
letters in its name
Element Crossword Puzzles - Use the clues provided to solve each crossword puzzle
Element Word Scramble - Use the clues provided to unscramble the name of an
element
Element Concentration - Challenge your memory and your knowledge of the elements
Element Matching Game - Match an element's name to its symbol
If a reference to a Periodic Table is necessary, consider using WebElements.
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Elements and Their Isotopes
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Click here to download a copy of this assignment.
Remember to show all of your work and calculations. Because electrons weigh so little,
we do not count them when computing the mass of an atom or an isotope. Only the
protons and neutrons are used.
Please follow your teacher's instructions for submitting your work.
Part of Atom
Charge
Atomic Mass (u)
Proton
+1
1.0073
Neutron
0
1.0087
Electron
-1
0.000549
1. The common form of helium gas (the gas often put in balloons) is called helium-4.
a. The number of protons in any atom is the same as its atomic number. What is the atomic
number of helium?
b. How many protons does helium have?
c. Helium has two neutrons, plus the number of protons you determined. Find the total
atomic weight of helium-4.
d. Why do you think helium-4 is called helium-4?
2. The common form of iodine (the liquid that is often put on cuts and wounds) is called iodine126.
a. The number of protons in any atom is the same as its atomic number. What is the atomic
number of iodine? Therefore iodine has ____ protons.
b. Iodine has 73 neutrons, plus the number of protons you determined. Find the total atomic
weight of iodine-126. Show your calculations.
c. Why do you think iodine-126 is called iodine-126?
3. The common form of uranium (a metal used in nuclear reactors) is called uranium-238.
a. The number of protons in any atom is the same as its atomic number. The atomic number
of uranium is _____. Therefore uranium has _____ protons.
b. Uranium has 146 neutrons, plus the number of protons you determined. Find the total
atomic weight of uranium-238. Show your calculations.
Please follow your teacher's instructions for submitting your work.
Assignment Check - Elements
After completing this work, you'll be prepared for a quiz over this material.
Activity: Metal, Nonmetal, or Metalloid?
What are the differences between metals, nonmetals, and metalloids? The sites below may
prove useful in making and understanding distinctions between these categories of elements.
Windows to the Universe's explanation of these three categories of elements is enlightening.
Yinon Bentor's excellent ChemicalElements site carefully explains metalloids, nonmetals,
and the different kinds of metals:
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Alkaline Earth Metals
Transition Metals
"Other" Metals
Now, identify the following elements and characteristics based on which category they describe
or fall into most often.
Periodic Table Quiz
After completing this work, you'll be prepared for a quiz over this material.
Assignments
Before continuing on to the Module Test, be sure the following graded items have been
completed. Click on a link below to return to the page in the module containing the assignment.
Assignment Check - Structure of the
Atom
Questions for Thought: Periodic Table
Elements and Their Isotopes
Assignment Check - Elements
Periodic Table
Module Test
After you have completed all the work in this chapter and feel confident of your knowledge of the
content, you'll be prepared for a test over this material.