The Periodic Table

Question 1

How do you know which elements are diatomic?

Answer 1

Get out your periodic table and do the following:
1. Go to element 7
2. Draw a line from element 7 to group 7
3. Draw the line all the way down group 7
4. Now you should have a number 7! All of those elements that you have drawn on are diatomic!

Question 2

How do you know the chemical formula for an element?

For example, Carbon’s chemical formula is C. However, Nitrogen’s chemical formula is not N

Answer 2

The formula for most elements is just their symbol. For diatomic elements it is their symbol and a little 2.

Question 3

What are the rows in a periodic table called?

Answer 3

Periods

Question 4

What are the columns in a periodic table called?

Answer 4

Groups

Question 5

What does the group number represent for an atom?

Answer 5

It represents how many electrons are in their outer shells.

Question 6

What does the period number represent for an atom?

Answer 6

It represents how many shells the atom has.

Question 7

What does the atomic number represent?

Answer 7

The number of protons.

Question 8

What does the relative atomic mass mean?

Answer 8

This is the mass of the atom. The atom gets pretty much all of its mass from the nucleus, that is made up of protons and neutrons. Therefore:

Relative atomic mass = number of neutrons + number of protons.

Question 9

Where do you find the metals on the periodic table?

Answer 9

On the left side of the periodic table, before the jagged line that starts at Aluminium and goes down in a step-like pattern.