2.
Periodic Classification of Elements
Classification of elements :- Today 118 elements are known to the scientific world.
However, around year1800 only about 30 elements were known.
More number of elements were discovered in the course of time.
More and more information about the properties of these elements was gathered.
To ease the study of such a large number of elements, scientists started studying
the pattern if any, in the vast information about them.
Dobereiner’s Triads:-
Dobereiner is made groups of three elements each, having similar
chemical properties and called them triads. He arranged the three elements in a triad in an
increasing order of atomic mass
the atomic mass of the middle element was approximately equal to the mean of the
atomic masses of the other two elements, its called Dobereiner’s Triads
Newlands’ Law of Octaves:-
Newlands arranged the elements known at that time in an increasing order of their
atomic masses.
It started with the lightest element hydrogen and ended up with thorium.
He found that every eighth element had properties similar to those of
the first.
For example, sodium is the eighth element from lithium and both have similar
properties.
(Newlands compared this similarity with the octaves in music) (MCQ)
Mendeleev’s Periodic table
Mendeleev’s periodic table is the most important step in the classification of
elements.
Mendeleev considered the fundamental property of elements, namely, the atomic
mass, as standard and arranged 63 elements known at that time in an increasing
order of their atomic masses.
Then he transformed this into the periodic table of elements in accordance with the
physical and chemical properties of these elements.
These were the molecular formulae of hydrides and oxides of the elements,
melting points, boiling points and densities of the elements and their hydrides and
oxides.
Mendeleev found that the elements with similar physical and chemical properties
repeat after a definite interval.
Mendeleev stated that properties of element are periodic function of their atomic
masses its called periodic law.
Mendeleev’s periodic table 1) vertical columns are called groups
2) horizontal rows are called periods. (MCQ)
Merits of Mendeleev’s periodic table:-
Atomic masses of some elements were revised so as to give them proper place in
the periodic table in accordance with their properties.
For example, the previously determined atomic mass of beryllium, 14.09, was
changed to the correct value 9.4, and beryllium was placed before boron.
Mendeleev kept vacant places in the periodic table for elements not discovered till
then.
Three of these unknown elements were given the names eka-boron,
eka-aluminium and eka-silicon
Later on these elements were discovered and named as scandium (Sc), gallium
(Ga) and germanium (Ge) respectively.
when noble gases such as helium, neon and argon were discovered towards the
end of nineteenth century, Mendeleev created the ‘ zero’ group without disturbing
the original periodic table.
Demerits of Mendeleev’s periodic table:-
When elements are arranged in an increasing order of atomic masses, the rise in
atomic mass does not appear to be uniform.
As isotopes have the same chemical properties but different atomic masses, a
challenge was posed in placing them in Mendeleev’s periodic table.
it can not be decided whether the correct position of hydrogen is in the group of
alkali metals (group I) or in the group of halogens (group VII).
Modern Periodic Law
The atomic number in Mendeleev’s periodic table only indicated the serial number
of the element.
English scientist Henry Moseley demonstrated, with the help of the experiments
done using X-ray tube, that the atomic number (Z) of an element corresponds to
the positive charge on the nucleus or the number of the protons in the nucleus of
the atom of that element.
This revealed that ‘atomic number’ is a more fundamental property of an element
than its atomic mass.
Accordingly the statement of the modern periodic law was stated-
Properties of elements are a periodic function of their atomic numbers.
Modern periodic table : long form of the periodic table
The modern periodic table is also called the long form of the periodic table.
In the modern periodic table the elements are arranged in accordance with their
atomic number.
As a result, most of the drawbacks of Mendeleev’s periodic table appear to be
removed.
Structure of the Modern Periodic Table
The modern periodic table contains seven horizontal rows called the periods
1 to 7.
Similarly, the eighteen vertical columns in this table are the groups 1 to
18.
Apart from these seven rows, two rows are shown separately at the bottom of the
periodic table. These are called lanthanide series and actinide series, respectively.
There are 118 boxes in the periodic table including the two series. It means that
there are 118 places for elements in the modern periodic table.
The entire periodic table is divided into four blocks,viz, s-block, p-block, d-block
and f-block.
The s-block contains the groups 1 and 2. The groups 13 to 18 constitute the p-
block.
The groups 3 to 12 constitute the d-block, while the lanthanide and actinide series
at the bottom form the f-block.
A zig-zag line can be drawn in the p-block of the periodic table.
Atomic size:-
The size of an atom isindicated by its radius.
Atomic radius is the distance between the nucleus of the atom and its ouermost
shell.
Atomic radius is expressed in the unit picometer (pm) which is smaller than
nanometer
You will find that atomic radius goes on decreasing while going from left to right
within a period.
While going from left to right within a period, the atomic number increases one by
one, meaning the positive charge on the nucleus increases by one unit at a time.
Due to the increased nuclear charge the electrons are pulled towards the nucleus to
a greater extent and thereby the size of the atom decreases.
while going down a group the atomic size goes on increasing. This is because
while going down a group a new shell is added. Therefore the distance between
the outermost electron and the nucleus goes on increasing.
As a result of this the atomic size increases in spite of the increased nuclear
charge.
Metallic- Nonmetallic Character
It is seen that the metallic elements like sodium, magnesium are towards the left.
The nonmetallic elements such as sulphur, chlorine are towards the right. The
metalloid element silicon lies in between these two types.
It is seen that the zig- zag line separates the metals from nonmetals in the periodic
table.
Gradation in Halogen Family
The group 17 contains the members of the halogen family.
All of them have the general formula X2.
A gradation is observed in their physical state down the group.
Thus,
gases fluorine (F2) ,chlorine (Cl2)
liquid bromine (Br2 )
3 solid iodine (I2)
Modern periodic Table and electronic Configuration of Elements
These characteristics of the groups and periods in the modern periodic table are
because of the electronic configuration of the elements.
It is the electronic configuration of an element which decides the group and the
period in which it is to be placed.
Groups and electronic configuration
the number of valence electrons in all these elements from the group 1, that is, the
family of alkali metals, is the same.
Similarly, the elements from any other group, you will find the number of their
valence electrons to be the same.
Periods and electronic configuration
while going from left to right, within the period, the atomic number increases by
one at a time and the number of valence electrons also increases by one at a time.
Valency : You have learnt in the previous standard that the valence of an element is
determined by the number of electrons present in the outermost shell of its atoms, that is, the
valence electrons.
