Periodic Table Scavenger

Hunt

Answer the questions on the following pages using the information on the websites provided.

Important Scientists
Do research to find out what these scientists contributed to the understanding of atoms and/or the periodic
table. BE SPECIFIC AND PROVIDE DETAILS!
Scientist

Contribution

Democritus

He came up with an atomic theory which

he adopted from his mentor, Leucippus.
He stated The universe is composed of
two elements: the atoms and the void in
which they exist and move.

Dmitri Mendeleev

Mendeleev provided for variance from

strict atomic weight order, left space for
new elements, and predicted three yetto-be-discovered elements including
eke-silicon and eke-boron.

John Dalton

Daltons Atomic theory assumed that all

matter consists of tiny particles, atoms
are indestructible and unchangeable,
elements are characterized by the mass
of their atoms, when elements react,
their atoms combine in simple, wholenumber ratios, and when elements
react, their atoms sometimes combine in
more than one simple, whole-number
ratio.

Organization of the Periodic

Table
Click here to be taken to a website to answer the following questions.

1.

Periodic Table Scavenger

Why are the elements Hunt
placed in specific places on the Periodic Table?
Because of its atomic structure.

2.

Periods are rows that run from left to right.

3.

Elements in the same period have the same number of electrons.

4.

Every element in the first period has one shell for its electrons. Every element in the
second period has two for its . See the pattern? Yes, first period has one, second
period has 2, third has three, etc.

5.

Groups are columns that run from top to bottom.

6.

The elements of a group have the same number of electrons in their valence shell
shell.

7.

Every element in group one has one electron in its outer shell. Every element in group
two has two electrons in its outer shell.

8.

Hydrogen is special because it can act like two groups, 1 and 7.

9.

Hydrogen sometimes is missing an electron and sometimes it has an

extra electron.

10. Although helium has only 2 electrons in its outer shell, it is grouped with elements
that have 8.
11. The green elements on this table are called transition elements. They each have two electrons in their
outer shell.

Families of the Periodic

Table

Click here to be taken to a website to answer the following questions.

12. Click on Alkali Metals (left bar) and answer the following questions.
a.

What is the group number? 1

b.

Are these metals reactive? Yes

c.

Do these metals occur freely in nature? No

d.

How many electrons are in their outer shell? 1

e. What are the three characteristics of ALL metals? Malleable, ductile, and are good conductors of heat
and electricity.

f.

Are these metals soft or hard? Soft

g.

Name the two most reactive elements in this group? Cesium and francium

h.

What happens when they are exposed to water? They explode

13. Click on Alkaline Earth Metals (left bar) and answer these questions.
a.

What is the group number? 2

b.

Are these metals reactive? Yes

c.

Do these metals occur freely in nature? NO

d.

How many electrons are in their outer shell? 2

14. Click on Transition Metals (left bar) and answer these questions.
a.

How many elements are in this group? 38

b.

What are the group numbers? 3 through 12

c.

What are valence electrons? The electrons they use to combine with other elements

d.

Because the valence electrons are present in more than one shell transition metals often exhibit several
common oxidation.

e.

Name the three elements in this family that produce a magnetic field. Iron, cobalt, and
nickel.

15. Click on Other Metals (left bar) and answer these questions.
a.

How many elements are in this group? 7

b.

What are the group numbers? 13 through 15

c.

How are these other metals similar to the transition metals? Ductile and Malleable

d. How are these metals different than the transition metals? They do not exhibit variable oxidation states,
and their valence electrons are only present in their outer shell.
e. List three physical properties of these other metals.Solid , opaque, and high density.
f. What are the oxidation numbers for this group?
(Oxidation numbers represent
+3, 4, and -3
the number of electrons lost or gained by an atom of an element in a compound.)
16. Click on Metalloids to answer these questions.
a.

On your periodic table, draw the black stair-step line that distinguishes metals from

nonmetals.It is drawn from between Boron and Aluminum to the border between Polonium
and Astatine.
b.

Metalloids have properties of both metals and non-metals.

c.

Define semiconductor They have the ability to conduct electricity under special conditions.

d.

Name two metalloids that are semi-conductors. Silicon and germanium.

e.This property makes metalloids useful in computers and calculators.

17. Click in Nonmetals to answer these questions.

a.

What are the group numbers? 14 through 16

b. List four characteristics of ALL nonmetals. They are poor conductors of heat and electricity, brittle,
dull, cant be rolled or pounded into sheets.
c. What two states of matter do nonmetals exist in at room temperature? Gas and solid
d.

The nonmetals have no metallic luster and do not reflect light.

e.

What are the oxidation numbers of the nonmetals? 4, -3, and -2

18. Click on the Halogens (left bar) to answer these questions.

a.

What is the halogen group number? 7

b.

Are halogens metals or nonmetals? Non-metals

c.

The term halogen means Salt Former and compounds containing halogens are called
salts.

d.

How many electrons are in their outer shell? 7 Electrons

e.

What is their oxidation number? -1

f. What states of matter do halogens exist in at room temperature? Solid, Liquid, and Gas

Periodic Table Scavenger

Hunt

19. Click on Noble Gases (left bar) and answer these questions.
a.

What is the group number? 18

b. Why were these gases considered to be inert or stable? Because their oxidation number of 0
prevents the noble gases from forming compounds readily.
c.

What is their oxidation number? 0

20. Click on Rare Earth Elements ( Inner Transition) (left bar) and answer these questions.
a.

On you periodic table, label the Lanthanide and Actinide series with your pencil.

Lanthanide: Lanthanum, Cerium, Praseodymium, Neodymium, Promethium,

Samarium, Europium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Holmium, Erbium,
Thulium, Ytterbium, Lutetium
Actinide: Actinium, Thorium, Protactinium, Uranium, Neptunium, Plutonium,
Americium, Curium, Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, Fermium, Mendelevium,
Nobelium, Lawrencium
b.

How many Rare Earth elements are there? 30

c.

Define trans-uranium. Synthetic or man-made.

d.

The Rare Earth metals are found in group 3 and periods the 6 and 7.