What is the Periodic Table of the Elements?
The Periodic Table of Elements is a method of displaying and organizing the chemical elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, and neon. However, the periodic table is much more than simply a list of elements.
The periodic table allows for people to make predictions about many physical and chemical properties. The periodic table is a framework for chemists and researchers to study and analyze not just the elements, but also the compounds and reactions of virtually anything on Earth.
There are various parts of the table which constitute the Periodic Table of Elements. The letter(s) in the center of each cell in the table refers to the chemical formula of that particular element, for example, O for oxygen, N for nitrogen, and so on.
The number above the chemical formula refers to the atomic number of the element. The atomic number is the total sum of protons in the element. This may or may not be equal to the number of electrons due to elemental ionization.
The number below refers to the atomic mass number. This is the average total sum of the protons and neutrons in all the isotopes of the element.
The elements of the periodic table are organized into Groups, arranged vertically, and Periods, arranged horizontally. Elements in the same group have similar chemical and physical properties.
Elements in the same period have the same number of electron shells. They have different properties across the period. Elements on the left side are metallic and those on the right are non-metals. The transition metals are located in the middle of the table.
The periodic table is a tool that has varied uses for scientists, students, researchers and others. Learning about the periodic table is vital to understand virtually everything in chemistry.
