Periodic Table Basics
What is an element? An element is a substance made of only one kind of atom.
Atomic Number Number of protons
Atomic Mass/Mass Number Number of protons plus the number of neutrons
Equal to the number of protons Number of electrons Equal to the number of protons
Periodic Table The periodic table is arranged according to atomic number (number of protons).
Rows and Columns Elements are arranged from left to right in rows called periods in order of increasing atomic number. They are also arranged from top to bottom in columns called groups or families. Elements in the same group/family have similar properties.
Electron shell = Energy level Electron shells Electron shell = Energy level Electrons must fill up a shell before they can occupy the next. Only 2 electrons are allowed in the first shell. 8 are allowed in all others. The outermost shell is called the valence shell.