Name: ____________________________________________
Period: ___
A Human Periodic Table
Website:
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URL: www.ptable.com
Reminder: the columns are called “groups” and the rows are called “periods”
Part 1 – General Trends
1) As you go from left to right in a period what changes?
2) Check the “Wide” box in the upper right corner. How does this change the table? (You may
uncheck it when you are done)
3) How are groups such as alkali metals, halogens, and noble gases organized on the periodic
table?
4) Set the temperature to 297 K (which is approximately room temperature).
a. Which phase is most common at room temperature?
b. Which phase is least common at room temperature?
c. Steadily increase the temperature with the slider. Report any trends that you see.
5) Choose a group (column) and mouse over the element at the top. In the
upper right corner of the box is the “electron configuration.” As you move
down the column what is similar about their configuration?
Part 2 – Specific Groups
6) Locate the “Alkali metals” on the table.
a. What is their group number?
b. Click on the number at the top of the group to open the Wikipedia article. Read the
second paragraph beginning with, “The alkali metals are all…” Identify two chemical
properties the alkali metals share.
c. Looking at the pictures in the article, what are some shared physical properties of alkali
metals?
7) Locate the “halogens” on the table.
a. What is their group number?
b. Click on the number at the top of the group to open the Wikipedia article. Read the
second and third paragraphs beginning with, “The name ‘halogen’ means…” Identify
two chemical properties the halogens share.
c. What else is unique about the halogen group?
8) Locate the “noble gases” on the table.
a. What is their group number?
b. Click on the number at the top of the group to open the Wikipedia article. Read the first
and second paragraphs. What does it say about their chemical reactivity?
c. Why is this chemical property useful?
d. What are two physical properties of noble gases?