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Overall PatternsThe point here is to emphasize some of the patterns that exist in the relationship between the electron configurations of the elements and the location of the elements on the periodic table and even the shape of the periodic table. Looking at this example note how the periodic table can be broken up into s, p, d and f blocks. The first two columns of the periodic table (groups Ia and IIa) are in the s block because the elements in these two groups have their outermost electrons in s orbitals. Note that the s block has two groups because atoms can put two electrons in an s sublevel.
The p block consists of groups IIIa through the inert gases. These are the elements which have their last electrons in p orbitals. Note that there are six groups in this block because atoms can put up to six electrons into a p sublevel. The transition elements comprise the d block. The d block has 10 columns because up to 10 electrons will fit into a d sublevel. The f block at the bottom of the periodic table has 14 columns because up to 14 electrons can fit into an f sublevel. Remember the pattern we worked with that resulted in the electron configurations. 1s, then 2s, 2p, 3s, then 3p, 4s, then 3d, 4p, 5s. That resulted in electron configurations that looked like this. 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10 and so on. The periodic table shows that same arrangement in a different way. The first period has 1s1 then 2. The second period has 2s1 then 2, then 2p1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Similarly, the third period has 3s1 then 2, then 3p1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The fourth period with the transition elements in the middle has 4s1 then 2, followed by 3d1, 2, 3, 4 is altered, then 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 is also altered, then 10, followed by 4p1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. The periodic table continues on showing the pattern dictated by the electron configurations. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Distance Learning questions Clackamas Community College |
