Weekly Assignment 10/27

This week in chemistry we started going into Unit 3, which is all about the periodic table. The periodic table was first arranged by Dimitri Mendeleev. He grouped the elements in columns by similar properties and in order by increasing atomic mass. Dimitri Mendeleev also predicted the properties of several elements before they were even discovered, based off of his prior knowledge and understanding of his table. Today's modern periodic table has the elements grouped by similar properties in the same column or group. Unlike Dimitri Mendeleev's periodic table, the modern periodic table is ordered based off of increasing atomic numbers. These atomic numbers on the periodic table are determined by Henry Moseley. The horizontal rows of the periodic table are called periods, and there are 7 periods total. The vertical columns on the periodic table are called groups, and groups contain elements of the same or similar properties. 

Metals

• good conductors of heat and electricity
• have luster
• are malleable and ductile

Nonmetals

• brittle as solids
• can be gases
• can be liquids
• nonconductors
• nonlustorous

Semi-Metals

• have properties from both metals and nonmetals 

The periodic table has four different blocks, the S block, the D block, the P block, and the F block. In the S block you can find groups 1 and 2, which are Alkali metals and Alkaline earth metals. The D block contains all of the transition metals and has groups 3-12. The P block contains all of the non metals, such as the metalloids, hallogens, and the noble gases and it has groups 13-18. The F block contains all of the inner transition metals. 

In class we did a lab that was supposed to help us better understand the periodic table and how the elements are arranged in the periodic table. We were given elements with their names and all of their properties and we had to arrange them how they are on in the periodic table. Then we were given some elements that had all of its properties but no name. We had to look at the elements properties and determine where it was located on the periodic table and what its name was. Not only did we have to locate where it was on the periodic table, but we also had to explain why we thought it belonged in the place that we put it and why we thought it was a certain element. This experiment really helped me understand how exactly the periodic table was set up and how you can tell what an element is based on its properties and the properties of the elements around it. 

Also, to help us better understand the periodic table, we had to take a blank table and color it according to what the different groups and elements were. We had to label all of the groups and periods. Then we had to outline the different blocks, like the S block, D block, P block, and F block. Then we had to color accordingly. Group 1 was colored purple. for the alkali metals. Group 2 was colored pink for the alkaline earth metals. Groups 3-12 were colored blue for transition metals. Group 17 was colored green for hallogens. Group 18 was colored dark pink for noble gases. This coloring assignment helped us better knowledge ourselves on which groups contained which types of elements.