About The Periodic Table of Element Groups

One reason the periodic table of the elements is so useful is because it is a means of arranging elements according to their similar properties. This is what is meant by periodicity or periodic table trends.

There are multiple ways of grouping the elements, but they are commonly divided into metals, semimetals (metalloids), and nonmetals. You'll find more specific groups, like transition metals, rare earths, alkali metals, alkaline earths, halogens, and noble gasses.

Click on an element to read about the chemical and physical properties of the group to which that element belongs.

Alkali Metals

less dense than other metals
one loosely bound valence electron
highly reactive, with reactivity increasing moving down the group
largest atomic radius of elements in their period
low ionization energy
low electronegativity

Alkaline Earth Metals

two electrons in the valence shell
readily form divalent cations
low electron affinity
low electronegativity

Transition Metals

The lanthanides (rare earths) and actinides are also transition metals. The basic metals are similar to transition metals but tend to be softer and to hint at nonmetallic properties. In their pure state, all of these elements tend to have a shiny, metallic appearance. While there are radioisotopes of other elements, all of the actinides are radioactive.

very hard, usually shiny, ductile, and malleable
high melting and boiling points

high thermal and electrical conductivity
form cations (positive oxidation states)
tend to exhibit more than one oxidation state
low ionization energy

Metalloids or Semimetals

electronegativity and ionization energy intermediate between that of metals and nonmetals
may possess a metallic luster
variable density, hardness, conductivity, and other properties

often make good semiconductors
reactivity depends on nature of other elements in the reaction

Nonmetals

The halogens and noble gases are nonmetals, although they have their own groups, too.

high ionization energy
high electronegativity
poor electrical and thermal conductors
form brittle solids
little if any metallic luster
readily gain electrons

Halogens

The halogens exhibit different physical properties from each other but do share chemical properties.

extremely high electronegativity
very reactive
seven valence electrons, so elements from this group typically exhibit a -1 oxidation state

Noble Gases

The noble gasses have complete valence electron shells, so they act differently. Unlike other groups, noble gasses are unreactive and have very low electronegativity or electron affinity.

Color Periodic Table of Element Groups

Click here for the list of element symbols.

1
H

2
He

3
Li

4
Be

5
B

6
C

7
N

8
O

9
F

10
Ne

11
Na

12
Mg

13
Al

14
Si

15
P

16
S

17
Cl

18
Ar

19
K

20
Ca

21
Sc

22
Ti

23
V

24
Cr

25
Mn

26
Fe

27
Co

28
Ni

29
Cu

30
Zn

31
Ga

32
Ge

33
As

34
Se

35
Br

36
Kr

37
Rb

38
Sr

39
Y

40
Zr

41
Nb

42
Mo

43
Tc

44
Ru

45
Rh

46
Pd

47
Ag

48
Cd

49
In

50
Sn

51
Sb

52
Te

53
I

54
Xe

55
Cs

56
Ba

72
Hf

73
Ta

74
W

75
Re

76
Os

77
Ir

78
Pt

79
Au

80
Hg

81
Tl

82
Pb

83
Bi

84
Po

85
At

86
Rn

87
Fr

88
Ra

104
Rf

105
Db

106
Sg

107
Bh

108
Hs

109
Mt

110
Ds

111
Rg

112
Cn

113
Uut

114
Uuq

115
Uup

116
Uuh

117
Uus

118
Uuo

* Lanthanides

57
La

58
Ce

59
Pr

60
Nd

61
Pm

62
Sm

63
Eu

64
Gd

65
Tb

66
Dy

67
Ho

68
Er

69
Tm

70
Yb

71
Lu

** Actinides

89
Ac

90
Th

91
Pa

92
U

93
Np

94
Pu

95
Am

96
Cm

97
Bk

98
Cf

99
Es

100
Fm

101
Md

102
No

103
Lr

Element Groups Color Key

Periodic Table of Element Groups