What does the vertical column an element is on the periodic table tell you?

Answer 1

The elements that are in the same row as each other all have their highest energy electron in the same principal electron shell. The first row (H and He) have valence electrons in the 1s orbital (the 1st shell only has a s-orbital). The second row has valence electrons in the 2s and 2p orbitals (the 2nd shell), and the third row has valence electrons in the 3s and 3p orbitals (the 3rd shell), etc.

This arrangement leads to so-called periodic trends in the Periodic Table.

See the Related Questions to the left for more information.

Answer 2

The vertical grouping in the periodic table indicates that the elements in a row have the same number of valence electrons. Moving down across a row (period), the number of energy levels increases.

Answer 3

hi,

the 65 elements found on earth are arranged in order of increasing atomic number (Z) as you go from left to right across the table. We call the horizontal rows periods and the vertical rows groups.

What is said above is true but doesn't answer your question (and there are a lot more than 65 elements in the periodic table!). The row in which an element is found indicates the number of 'shells' which are filled. So Hydrogen and Helium are in row 1 so only the innermost 1s shell is filled.

The electron configuration of elements in row 2 begins with Lithium - 2.1 - and ends with Neon - 2.8.

And so on...

Answer 4

Imagine a calendar that shows a month. The vertical columns show similar things: all Mondays for instance. This corresponds to the vertical rows or group on the periodic table where elements share similar qualities particularly in forming chemical bonds.

The horizontal rows are like a week and can tell you how many electrons shells or orbitals (Bohr Model of an atom) there are. Descending levels add electron levels.

Answer 5

A Vertical row of elements in periodic table is called a group or a family.

Answer 6

The horizontal rows are referred as periods. They determine the number of shells.

Answer 7

The vertical columns in periodic table are called groups and contain chemical elements with similar properties.

Answer 8

Vertical columns are called groups. They are also called families. They have certain similar chemical properties.

Answer 9

This horizontal row is called period and contain chemical elements in order of the atomic number.