1. Organizing the periodic table Understanding the elements begins with knowing how to read the periodic table. http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams /jams/science/matter/periodic-table.htm http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams /jams/science/matter/periodic-table.htm

2. The Periodic Table The Periodic Table Began with Mendeleev’s Periodic Table of 63 elements. He noticed when the table was arranged in order of atomic mass, a pattern of properties became evident. The modern periodic table has over 100 elements continues to grow.

3. The modern periodic table The periodic table which is used today is arranged in such a way that properties of an element can be predicted based on their location in the table.

4. How is the periodic table arranged? The periodic table is arranged in horizontal rows called periods. The row, or the period is always read from left to right the same fashion as a book. There are seven periods found in the periodic table. The first horizontal row is called period 1, and contains two elements (atoms). The two atoms in period 1 are Hydrogen and Helium.

5. How do atoms progress across the periodic table? The table is arranged so that properties of elements change as the table is read from left to right. Metals are on the left side of the table and the most reactive metals are on the far left.

6. The right side of the Periodic Table The right side of the periodic table is filled with non metals, and the far right side of the periodic table is filled with inert gases. The majority of the gases are found on the right side of the table.

7. What is in the middle of the Periodic Table The middle of the periodic table is filled with a group known as “semimetals”. The semimetals are a list of several elements which have the some of the characteristics of metals, but also have other important characteristics which are not found in metals. These elements can be used for many things.

8. What is on the left side of the Periodic Table The left side of the table is a number of elements which react violently with water. The majority of the known molecules and proteins in the human body consist of theses atoms.

9. Periods Periods are rows which go across the table from left to right. As the table is read from left to right the weight of the atom increases. The lightest atom is Hydrogen, the heaviest is Ununoctium, atomic number 118.

10. Groups The vertical columns of the periodic table are known as a group. Another name for each group is a “family”. Each group is filled with atoms which have similar characteristics. There are eighteen groups in the periodic table. The lanthanides and actinides do not fit in the periodic table because the table would be far to wide and are not given a group.

11. Reading the data on the table In the periodic table each element or atom present has four important pieces of information. First- the elements atomic number, which also is the number of protons in the nucleus. Second- the chemical symbol (abbreviation). Third- element name. Fourth- atomic mass.