Author Question: How do you determine the number of valence electrons and energy levels an atom has on the periodic table? (Read 748 times)

asd123

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 557
I can't remember. In order to find the number of energy levels in an atom on the periodic table, do you look at what period it is in, or what group it is in? Same for valence electrons. Do you look at what group it is in or what period it lies in?
Thanks in advance!



Jones

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 145

Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question

Jkov05

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 556
the groups (vertical columns) on the periodic table give the number of valence electrons of elements.
the periods (horizontal columns) on the periodic table give the number of electron shells.

by energy levels do you mean reactivity?  it really depends.
for example, the alkali metals (group 1) become more reactive going down the group as they only contain 1 valence electron, therefore they want to lose 1 electron rather than gain 7 to have a full shell.  (all elements react to have a full shell, so they become stable, like the noble gases in group 8.)
the halogens (group 7), however, become less reactive going down the group as they need to gain 1 rather than lose 7.

the reason for this:
the more electron shells, the weaker the attraction of the electrons to the nucleus.  therefore, in the alkali metals case, when you go down the group (more valence shells), it will become easier to lose electrons (only 1 to lose for alkali metals).
in the case of halogens, it needs to gain 1.  if the force between the nucleus and the electrons are week as you go down the group, so it becomes more difficult to gain 1, therefore less reactive.

does this mean that if, for example, lithium loses 1 electron, it will become helium?  no, because the number of protons inside the lithium element remain, which determines its atomic number.

so the alkali metals are more reactive at the bottom of the group, and the halogens are more reactive at the top of the group.

hope this helped :)



 

Did you know?

In ancient Rome, many of the richer people in the population had lead-induced gout. The reason for this is unclear. Lead poisoning has also been linked to madness.

Did you know?

The first oncogene was discovered in 1970 and was termed SRC (pronounced "SARK").

Did you know?

The use of salicylates dates back 2,500 years to Hippocrates's recommendation of willow bark (from which a salicylate is derived) as an aid to the pains of childbirth. However, overdosage of salicylates can harm body fluids, electrolytes, the CNS, the GI tract, the ears, the lungs, the blood, the liver, and the kidneys and cause coma or death.

Did you know?

Giardia is one of the most common intestinal parasites worldwide, and infects up to 20% of the world population, mostly in poorer countries with inadequate sanitation. Infections are most common in children, though chronic Giardia is more common in adults.

Did you know?

Pink eye is a term that refers to conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the thin, clear membrane (conjunctiva) over the white part of the eye (sclera). It may be triggered by a virus, bacteria, or foreign body in the eye. Antibiotic eye drops alleviate bacterial conjunctivitis, and antihistamine allergy pills or eye drops help control allergic conjunctivitis symptoms.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library