Periodic Table Grouping Elements

Groups 1 & 2 -most reactive elements -only have 1 or 2 electrons in outer level, so can easily give away electrons -so reactive they are only found combined with other elements in nature

Group 1: Alkali Metals -Outer level electrons - 1 -Reactivity - very reactive -Other Shared Properties - soft, silvery, shiny, low density -members - Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidium, Cesium, Francium

Group 2: Alkaline-earth Metals -Outer level electrons - 2 -Reactivity - very reactive (less than alkali metals) -Other shared properties - silver-colored, more dense than alkali metals -Members - Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium, Barium, Radium

Groups 3 - 12: Transition Metals -Outer Level Electrons - 1 or 2 -Reactivity - less than alkaline-earth metals -Other Shared Properties - shiny, conduct thermal energy & electric current well, higher densities & melting points (except mercury) than Groups 1 & 2 EXAMPLES: Mercury, Gold, Iron, Titanium

Lanthanides and Actinides -transition metals from Period 6 & 7 -placed at bottom of table to keep it from being too long -properties of elements in each row tend to be similar -also called rare-earth metals Lanthanides -follow Lanthanum -shiny, reactive -used to make steel Actinides -follow Actinium -all atoms are radioactive (unstable) -can change into atoms of other elements -every one after #92 (Uranium) is artificially created -Americium is used in small amounts in smoke detectors

Groups 13-16: Groups with Metalloids -table shifts from metals to nonmetals -each group contains at least one metalloid -all but one contain at least one nonmetal

Group 13: Boron Group -Outer Level Electrons - 3 -Reactivity - Reactive -Other Shared Properties - solid @ room temperature -Members - Boron, Aluminum, Gallium, Indium, Thallium, Ununtrium -Boron is a metalloid -Aluminum is the most common member (most abundant metal in Earth's crust) -used for lightweight automobile & aircraft parts, cans, foil, and wire

Group 14: Carbon Group -Outer Level Electrons - 4 -Reactivity - Varies -Other Shared Properties - solid @ room temperature -Members - Carbon, Silicon, Germanium, Tin, Lead, Flerovium -Carbon is a nonmetal that is essential to life on Earth -Silicon & Germanium are metalloids used in computer chips -Tin is useful because it is not very reactive

Group 15: Nitrogen Group -Outer Level Electrons - 5 -Reactivity - Varies -Other Shared Properties - All but Nitrogen are solid @ room temperature -Members - Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Arsenic, Antimony, Bismuth, Ununpentium -Nitrogen (gas @ room temperature) makes up 80% of the atmosphere -Nitrogen is fairly unreactive, but is combined with Hydrogen to make ammonia -Phosphorus is highly reactive & is not found alone in nature

Group 16: Oxygen Group (Chalcogens) -Outer Level Electrons - 6 -Reactivity - Reactive -Other Shared Properties - All but Oxygen are solid @ room temperature -Members - Oxygen, Sulfur, Selenium, Tellurium, Polonium, Livermorium -Oxygen makes up 20% of the atmosphere, is necessary for things to burn, and is needed by animals for life processes -Sulfur is used to make sulfuric acid (most widely used compound in chemical industry)

Groups 17 & 18: Nonmetals Only -members of group 17 are the MOST reactive nonmetals -members of group 18 are the LEAST reactive

Group 17: Halogens -Outer Level Electrons: 7 -Reactivity: very reactive -Other Shared Properties: Poor conductors of electric current, react violently with alkali metals to form salts, never found alone in nature -Members: Flourine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine, Astatine, Ununseptium -only need to gain one electron to have a complete outer level -combine readily, especially with metals -physical properties differ greatly -Chlorine & Iodine are both used as disinfectants, chlorine in water treatment & iodine in hospitals

Group 18: Noble Gases -Outer Level Electrons: 8 (Helium has 2) -Reactivity: Unreactive -Other Shared Properties: colorless, odorless gases @ room temperature -Members: Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon, Radon, Ununoctium -unreactive because outer levels are complete -all found in atmosphere in small amounts -Argon is most abundant and is used to fill lightbulbs because it doesn't react with the metal filament -Helium is not very dense, so it is used to make blimps and weather balloons float -the Noble Gases are often used in "neon" signs because they produce colored light when introduced to an electrical current

Hydrogen Stands Alone -Outer Level Electrons: 1 -Reactivity: reactive -Other Properties: colorless, odorless gas @ room temperature, reacts explosively with Oxygen -its properties don't match those of any group -it is placed above the Alkali metals because it only has 1 outer level electron -its physical properties are like those of nonmetals -it is the most abundant element in the universe -used in fuels (rocket fuel, hydrogen cars)