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If you do a chemistry degree you will likely have entire modules revolving around this and various trends. The Periodic Table is actually set up extremely carefully and cleverly.

I'll give a quick overview.

4 Blocks:

S Block - (Columns 1 and 2) - Valence electrons of elements is in the S orbital.

D Block - (Columns 3 - 12) - Valence electrons of elements is in the D orbital.

P Block - (Columns 13 - 18) - Valence electrons of elements is in the P orbital.

F Block - (Those 2 rows at the bottom, separate) - Valence electrons in F orbital.

And that makes sense. S shell holds 2 electrons, it has 2 columns. P shell holds 6 electrons, gets 6 columns and etc etc. So now we can see that S block column 2 has valence S2. Row 6 is P block. Valence is s2, p4. Total of 6 electrons.

Since we can tell a LOT about an element's properties from its valence electrons, a glance at the periodic table proves to be extremely useful. The more you use it, the more obvious the trends become.

We also get trends like electronegativity increasing toward the top right...and a hundred other trends, again it only takes a quick look at the periodic table to gain important knowledge.

The rows, usually numbered down the left-side of the table show us what number our valence shell is (tells us the principle quantum number of the valence shell, n).

For example: Vanadium is in D block. It's in group 5 and row 4. Right away I know Vanadium has 3d3 4s2 valence. D-Blocks have funny little quirks with how their shells fill but don't worry too much about that. Practice a few and it'll become very easy.

The F-Block is kept well out of the way, which is a good idea considering they are generally less used...but more importantly, it keeps the table in a useful format.

Plus it groups the F-Block together, which share some chemical properties and can be useful to view as a separate group.

In almost any chemistry subject you do, there WILL be trends relating to it on the periodic table, just look for them. And good chemists can do huge amounts of work with atoms they know nothing about, using just the periodic table and some know-how.

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14y ago
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13y ago

Its layed out in atomic numbers.

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Q: How is the periodic table set up?
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Related questions

When did Dmitri set up the periodic table?

Dmitri Mendeleev set up the periodic table in 1869. He organized the elements based on their properties and atomic weights.


Are the groups of the periodic table set up in columns or rows?

The vertical columns in a periodic table are called Groups.


In what century was the periodic table set up?

The periodic table was set up in the 19th century, specifically in 1869 by Dmitri Mendeleev. Mendeleev organized the elements based on their properties and atomic weights, creating the foundation for the modern periodic table.


Was the periodic table always been set up the way it is today?

the periodic table is set up by atomic number, obviously. the atomic number is equal to the amount of protons, so the periodic table is set up by amount of proton order. During the time more than 100 versions of the periodic table were proposed. See the link bellow for some details; also the links of this...link.


What is a period or series on the periodic table?

A period on the periodic table is a horizontal row that represents the number of electron shells an atom has. A series on the periodic table refers to a group of elements that share similar chemical properties, such as the lanthanide and actinide series.


How did Dmitri Mendeleev set up the periodic table by?

Dmitri Mendeleev arranged the elements in the periodic table based on increasing atomic mass, while also grouping elements with similar properties together. This allowed him to identify patterns and gaps in the elements' properties, which led to the creation of a periodic law that predicted the properties of undiscovered elements.


The Periodic Table is set up in order of what?

in the increasing order of atomic number


How do you explain how the periodic table set up?

The periodic table contains 18 columns known as groups and 7 rows known as periods. The properties of the elements are found to be periodic when arranged in order of increasing atomic number.


How is information set up on the periodic table?

Information is set up by giving atomic number and element symbol.Elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic no.


Is elements on the periodic table?

The periodic table is entirely made up of elements.


Who came up with periodic table?

Dmitri Mendeleev came up with the modern Periodic Table in 1869.


Why is the table of elements known as the periodic table?

Simply, the periodic table is set up by listing elements by their atomic number, or the number of protons in an atom's nucleus.