The periodic table organises all known elements by atomic number (the number of protons), arranged in rows (periods) and columns (groups). Elements in the same group share similar chemical properties, since they have the same number of outer electrons. Metals — the majority of elements — sit on the left and middle, are typically shiny, and conduct heat and electricity well. Non-metals sit on the right, and are generally poor conductors.
Example
Group 1 (the alkali metals, like sodium and potassium) are all soft, highly reactive metals that react vigorously with water — because they all share the same outer electron structure, giving them similar chemical behaviour despite being different elements.
Key terms
Element:
A pure substance made of only one type of atom.
Group:
A vertical column of the periodic table; elements share similar properties.
Period:
A horizontal row of the periodic table.
Questions
1. The periodic table organises elements by their:
Atomic number
Colour
Weight in grams
Alphabetical order only
2. A vertical column on the periodic table is called a:
Group
Period
Element
Row
3. A horizontal row on the periodic table is called a:
Period
Group
Column
Element
4. Metals are generally found on the:
Left and middle of the periodic table
Far right only
Top row only
Nowhere on the table
5. Non-metals are generally found on the:
Right side of the periodic table
Left side only
Bottom row only
Nowhere on the table
6. Metals typically:
Conduct heat and electricity well
Never conduct electricity
Are always liquid
Have no properties in common
7. An element is:
A pure substance made of only one type of atom
A mixture of two substances
Always a liquid
A man-made material only
8. Elements in the same group generally share:
Similar chemical properties
Identical colours only
The exact same atomic number
No relationship at all
9. Why do elements in the same group behave similarly?
They have the same number of outer electrons
They are always the exact same element
They have identical atomic numbers
Group position has no effect on behaviour
10. Group 1 elements (alkali metals) are known for being:
Soft and highly reactive with water
Extremely unreactive gases
Always liquid at room temperature
Non-metals
11. The noble gases (Group 18) are known for being:
Very unreactive
Highly reactive metals
Liquids at room temperature
The heaviest elements
12. Non-metals are generally:
Poor conductors of heat and electricity
Excellent conductors of electricity
Always shiny
Always soft
13. Elements are arranged left to right within a period by increasing:
Atomic number
Alphabetical order
Colour intensity
Random order
14. Metalloids (like silicon) are elements that:
Have properties between metals and non-metals
Are always pure metals
Are always pure non-metals
Do not exist on the periodic table
15. Why is the periodic table considered one of the most useful tools in chemistry?
It organises elements in a way that predicts their properties and behaviour
It has no scientific use beyond decoration
It only lists element names with no other information
It was designed randomly with no underlying pattern
16. Sodium (Group 1) and chlorine (Group 17) react vigorously to form table salt. This reaction is driven by:
Their different outer electron structures making them chemically complementary
Both being identical elements
Neither element having any electrons
The elements being in the same group
17. Why might elements in the same period (row) have very different properties despite being neighbours?
They have different numbers of outer electrons, unlike elements in the same group
Elements in the same period are always identical
Periods have no influence on chemical properties
Rows and columns represent the same thing
18. Which best explains why metalloids like silicon are valuable in electronics (semiconductors)?
Their in-between metal/non-metal properties allow controllable conductivity
They are pure metals with no special properties
They cannot conduct electricity under any circumstances
They are identical to noble gases
19. The periodic table's predictive power means scientists can often estimate an undiscovered element's properties by:
Looking at the properties of elements near it in the same group or period
Guessing randomly with no pattern
Ignoring its position entirely
Only examining elements from a completely different group
20. Why do noble gases (Group 18) rarely form compounds with other elements?
Their outer electron arrangement is already stable, giving them little reason to react
They have no electrons at all
They are the most reactive elements
They only exist as liquids
21. Isotopes of the same element have the same atomic number but different:
Numbers of neutrons (and therefore mass)
Numbers of protons
Group on the periodic table
Chemical properties entirely
Answer key (parent copy)
1. Atomic number
2. Group
3. Period
4. Left and middle of the periodic table
5. Right side of the periodic table
6. Conduct heat and electricity well
7. A pure substance made of only one type of atom
8. Similar chemical properties
9. They have the same number of outer electrons
10. Soft and highly reactive with water
11. Very unreactive
12. Poor conductors of heat and electricity
13. Atomic number
14. Have properties between metals and non-metals
15. It organises elements in a way that predicts their properties and behaviour
16. Their different outer electron structures making them chemically complementary
17. They have different numbers of outer electrons, unlike elements in the same group
18. Their in-between metal/non-metal properties allow controllable conductivity
19. Looking at the properties of elements near it in the same group or period
20. Their outer electron arrangement is already stable, giving them little reason to react