Periodic Table of the Elements

An element is the simplest form of of a substance. 

The element are classified as to whether they are metals, non-metals and metalloids which is determined by the elements properties.  Most of the elements in the table are metals if you look. 

Non metals include the Noble Gases located at the far right of the periodic table.  What do most of these elements have in common?  Well more than half of them are gases at room temperature. 

There are very few metalloids.  They have many of the properties of metals and non metals. 

Use the periodic table above to find out the names the symbols represent. 

The rows of the periodic table are called Periods and the columns are called Groups.  Elements in the same Period have repeating or periodic patterns as you move across the table from the metals to the non-metals.  Elements at opposite ends of a period have very different properties.

Use the table above to examine the first period of the Periodic Table.  Notice how different the properties of Helium and Hydrogen are.

The elements in the same group on the periodic table have similar physical and chemical properties.

 Look at Group 18.  This is the farthest right column.  What elements are listed there?  Are they metals or non metals?  Are they gases or solids?  These factors and others group these elements together by similar physical and chemical characteristics.