THE PERIODIC TABLE
The periodic table is the tabular arrangement of elements
according to their atomic numbers.
Did you know that the first element to be produced artificially
was Technetium?
In the periodic table there are:
• Alkali metals
• Alkaline earth metals
• Transition metals
• Rare earth metals
• Non-metals
• Inert gases
ALKALI METALS
The alkali metals are a group in the
periodic table consisting of the
chemical elements lithium, sodium,
potassium, rubidium, caesium, and
francium. This group lies in the s-block
of the periodic table as all alkali metals
have their outermost electron in an sorbital: this electron configuration
results in their characteristic
properties. The alkali metals provide
the best example of group trends in
properties in the periodic table, with
elements exhibiting well-characterized
homologous behaviour.
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
The definition of Alkaline earth metals
are any of the elements beryllium,
magnesium, calcium, strontium,
barium, and radium, occupying Group
IIA (2) of the periodic table. They are
reactive, electropositive, divalent
metals, and form basic oxides which
react with water to form
comparatively insoluble hydroxides.
The alkaline earth metals are
beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg),
calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium
(Ba), and radium (Ra). This group lies
in the s-block of the periodic table as
all alkaline earth metals have their
outermost electron in an s-orbital.
TRANSITION METALS
As with all metals,
the transition elements are both
ductile and malleable, and conduct
electricity and heat.
Any of the set of metallic elements
occupying a central block, in the
periodic table, e.g. iron, manganese,
chromium, and copper. They show a
strong tendency to form coordination
compounds, and many of their
compounds are coloured.
RARE EARTH METALS
Rare earths are a series of chemical
elements found in the Earth's crust
that are vital to many modern
technologies, including consumer
electronics, computers and networks,
communications, clean energy,
advanced transportation, health care,
environmental mitigation, national
defence, and many others.
NON-METALS
Non-metal is an element or substance
that is not a metal.
They are good insulators of heat and
have low elasticity. Seventeen
elements are classified as non-metals;
most are gases (hydrogen, helium,
nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, neon,
chlorine, argon, krypton, xenon and
radon); one is a liquid (bromine); and a
few are solids (carbon, phosphorus,
sulphur, selenium, and iodine).
INERT GASES
Inert gas is any of the gaseous
elements helium, neon, argon,
krypton, xenon, and radon, occupying
Group 0 (18) of the periodic table.
They were long believed to be not
reactive but compounds of xenon,
krypton, and radon are now known.