Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
54 Chemistry: Matter and Change
Solving Problems: A Chemistry Handbook
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
A CHEMISTRY HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 6
The elements are arranged in the periodic table in order of increasing atomic number in horizontal rows called periods. Because the
pattern of properties repeats in each new row of elements, the elements in a column have similar properties and are called a group or
family of elements. The groups are designated with a number.
Groups 1 and 2 and 13–18 are called the main group or
representative elements. The elements in groups 3–12 are called
the transition elements.
Elements are divided into three main classes—metals, metalloids, and nonmetals. As you can see from the periodic table, the
majority of the elements are metals. Metals are generally shiny
solids and are good conductors of heat and electrical current. Some
groups of elements have names. For example, the first two groups of
metals, groups 1 and 2, are called the alkali metals and the alkaline
earth metals, respectively. Most of the elements to the right of the
heavy stair-step line in the periodic table are nonmetals, which are
generally either gases or brittle solids at room temperature. Group
17 elements are commonly called halogens, and group 18 elements
are the noble gases. Many of the elements that border the stair-step
line are metalloids, which have some of the characteristics of both
metals and nonmetals.
Practice Problems
Match each element in Column A with the best matching
description from Column B. Each Column A element may
match more than one description from Column B.
Column A
Column B
1. strontium
a. halogen
2. chromium
b. noble gas
3. iodine
c. alkaline earth metal
4. nitrogen
d. metalloid
5. argon
e. alkali metal
6. rubidium
f. representative element
7. silicon
g. transition element
54 Chemistry: Matter and Change
Solving Problems: A Chemistry Handbook
SOLVING PROBLEMS:
A CHEMISTRY HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 6
The elements are arranged in the periodic table in order of increasing atomic number in horizontal rows called periods. Because the
pattern of properties repeats in each new row of elements, the elements in a column have similar properties and are called a group or
family of elements. The groups are designated with a number.
Groups 1 and 2 and 13–18 are called the main group or
representative elements. The elements in groups 3–12 are called
the transition elements.
Elements are divided into three main classes—metals, metalloids, and nonmetals. As you can see from the periodic table, the
majority of the elements are metals. Metals are generally shiny
solids and are good conductors of heat and electrical current. Some
groups of elements have names. For example, the first two groups of
metals, groups 1 and 2, are called the alkali metals and the alkaline
earth metals, respectively. Most of the elements to the right of the
heavy stair-step line in the periodic table are nonmetals, which are
generally either gases or brittle solids at room temperature. Group
17 elements are commonly called halogens, and group 18 elements
are the noble gases. Many of the elements that border the stair-step
line are metalloids, which have some of the characteristics of both
metals and nonmetals.
Practice Problems
Match each element in Column A with the best matching
description from Column B. Each Column A element may
match more than one description from Column B.
Column A
Column B
1. strontium
a. halogen
2. chromium
b. noble gas
3. iodine
c. alkaline earth metal
4. nitrogen
d. metalloid
5. argon
e. alkali metal
6. rubidium
f. representative element
7. silicon
g. transition element