Why are the elements of the periodic table grouped the way that they are?

Answer 1

Atomic number and electron configurationElements in the Periodic Table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number (which is just the number of protons found in the nucleus of that element). Starting with hydrogen (H) with only 1 proton and reading left to right and then down, the atomic number goes up one for each element until you reach the highest atomic number of 106.

The reason the periodic table is the shape that it is has to do with the electronic configurations of the elements. The periodic table is arranged so that all the elements in each period (row) have similar electronic configurations to the other elements in that period. That also often means that elements in the same group (column) show similar chemical reactivity. Electrons in atoms are arranged in different orbitals (named "s", "p", "d", "f"). Elements in the same group all have the same number of electrons in their outer orbitals.

For instance, the alkali metals in the first column (lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium) all have 1 electron in their outermost shell/layer (it turns out there are many shell, each one bigger than the previous one -- lithium has 2 shells while bigger atoms like cesium have 6 shells). What matters is that they all have a single electron in that outermost shell, regardless of how many shells they have in total. This same trend is observed in each group of the table, excluding most of the transition metals.

I've linked my source for this answer below.

Answer 2

The elements in the "elemental table" Are arranged by category:gases, solids, liquids, metals etc. weight, numbered in the order they were discovered, and placed on the chart by class from left to right based on category,weight,order in which discovered. making up the chart.

Answer 3

The periodic table is arranged from the number of electrons in the shells of the atom, hydrogen has 1 , helium 2 , lithium 3 etc. it is also split of into sections, metals, gases and inert (noble) gases.

It does get a bit more complicated though this is only the basic form.

Answer 4

Because if you arrange it alphabetically it's not periodic anymore. It's arranged by atomic number, which effectively means it's arranged by electronic structure, which means that similar chemical properties occur periodically. Hence the name.

Answer 5

You are a moron.

Google PERIODIC TABLE you omeba.

Make sure you ask a parents permission to use the keyboard first.

MORON

^^^^^

No question is an idiotic one, only an uneducated, self-absorbed imbecile would think so, it's completely asinine to assume one's intelligence by a simple question they ask for the sake of knowing, if anything it proves this individuals interest in learning.

certain groups can mean different things, for example group 3-12 are "transition metals" or metals that conduct electricity and heat, are malleable, and ductile. all the way on the right are the Nobel gasses in column 18, the separate cluster of elements towards the bottom are called the rare elements, even though some are commonly found on earth.

But I do suggest looking for an .edu site for questions such as these, I'm no expert and my answer has a possibility of being flawed.

Answer 6

Elements in the periodic table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number (which is just the number of protons found in the nucleus of that element). Starting with hydrogen (H) with only 1 proton and reading left to right and then down, the atomic number goes up one for each element until you reach the highest atomic number of 106.

Answer 7

The elements are arranged in the increasing order of their atomic number and repeating properties. Generally the elements within the same group have the same number of valence electrons and hence, similar chemical and physical properties.

Answer 8

Groups or Families

The vertical columns of the periodic table (there are 18) are called groups or families. Elements in the same group or family have similar but not identical characteristics. You can know properties of a certain element by knowing which group it belongs to.

Periods

The horizontal rows of the periodic table are called periods. Elements in a period are not alike in properties. As a rule, the first element in a period is usually an active solid, and the last element in a period is always an inactive gas. Atomic size decreases from left to right across a period, but Atomic Mass increases from left to right across a period. Atoms on the left of the period, therefore, are usually larger and more lightweight than the smaller, heavier atoms on the right of the period.

Answer 9

they are arranged in order by atomic number if you see the little numbers at the top of the element card that is the atomic number. the atomic number is the number of protons in an atom.