PERIODIC PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ELEMENTS

There are many observable patterns in the physical and chemical properties of
elements as we descend a group or move across a period in the periodic table. Such
properties are referred to as Periodic properties i.e properties which are directly or
indirectly related to electronic configuration and show a regular variation when we
move from left to right in a period from top to bottom in a group.

Causes of periodicity

- In modern periodic table, elements are arranged according to their increasing atomic
numbers.
- The physical and chemical properties of elements largely depend upon the outermost
electronic configuration, that is the valence electrons.
- Hence the outermost configuration for each group remain the same.
- Since periodicity in properties of elements are seen due to same outermost electronic
configuration.

These properties include;

- Atomic size
- Ionization energy
- Electron affinity
- Electronegativity
- Metallic character
- Electrode potential

Write short notes about the above properties (include definition, factors, trend across the
period and down the group).

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METALLIC AND NON METALLIC PROPERTIES

 In addition to classification of elements into s, p, d, f blocks they can be divided

into metals and non metals.
 Metals ccomprise more than 78% of all known elements and appear on the left
side of the periodic table.
- Metals are usually solids at room temperature [mercury is an exception,
gallium and caesium also have very low melting points (303 K and 302 K
respectively)].
- Metals usually have high melting and boiling points.
- They are good conductors of heat and electricity.
- They are malleable (can be flattened into thin sheets) and ductile (can be
drawn into wires).
 In contrast non metals are located at the top right-hand side of the periodic table.
In a period, the property of elements changes from metallic on the left to non-
metallic on the right.
- Non metals are usually solids or gases at room temperature with low
melting and boiling points (boron and carbon are exceptions).
- They are poor conductors of heat and electricity.
- Most non-metallic solids are brittle.
 The elements become more metallic as we go down a group; non-metallic
character increases as we move from left to right across the periodic table. The
change from metallic to non-metallic character is abrupt.
 The elements like silicon, germanium, arsenic, antimony and tellurium running
diagonally across the periodic table show properties that are characteristic of both
metals and non-metals. These elements are called semi-metals or metalloids.

Physical properties
Metals Non-metals
-High electrical conductivity which -Poor electrical conductivity except
decreases with increasing temperature carbon in graphite
-High thermal conductivity -good heat insulators (except carbon in

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 diamond)
-Metallic grey/silver luster except Cu & -No metallic luster
Au
-Malleable and ductile -Brittle in solid and non ductile
-Almost all solids -Solids, liquid, gas
-Solid state characterized by metallic -Covalently bonded molecules
bonding
Chemical properties
-Outer shell contain few electrons -4 or more electrons (except hydrogen)
especially 3 or fewer
-Low ionization energy -High ionization energy
-Slightly negative or positive electron -Very negative electron affinity
affinity
-Low electronegativities -High electronegativities
-Form cations by losing electrons -Form anion by gaining electrons
(except noble gases)
-Form ionic compounds with non-metals -Form ionic compounds with metals
(except noble gas) and molecular
(covalent) compounds with other
compounds.

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 CHEMISTRY OF S- AND P- BLOCK ELEMENTS

s- block

 Elements of group I and II which are ns1 and ns2 outer most configuration
belong to s- block.
 They are all reactive metals with low ionization energies.
 They lose the outermost electron(s) readily to form +1 ion incase of alkali
metals or +2 ion incase of alkaline earth metals.
 Metallic character and reactivity increases down the group. Because of high
reactivity they are never found pure in nature.
 The compounds of s- block elements with exception of those of lithium and
beryllium are predominantly ionic.

The main similarities within these groups;

- Metallic character and cation formation

All s-block elements are metals. They conduct electricity and heat, they are
malleable and ductile. They are powerful reducing agents owing to the ease with
which they form cations. The cation forming ability is reflected in their standard
electrode potentials and as the most electropositive of the metals, they are found
at the top of the electrochemical series.
- The elements attain a stable noble gas configuration by loss of one or two
electrons respectively from the s-orbital. Thus, the elements have an invariable
valency of +1 and +2 respectively.
- The oxides and hydroxides of s-block elements are both basic and those of alkali
metals are significantly stronger than the corresponding compounds of the alkaline
earths. In each case, basic strength increases with increase in the radius of the
metal cation.
- In general compounds of group IIA decompose at lower temperature than the
corresponding compounds of group IA elements in the same period. Thermal
stability is particularly low in compounds consisting of small cations like Li +, Be2+,

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 Mg2+ and large anions like CO32- or NO3- owing to polarization and distortion of the
anion by the high charge density of the metal ion. Thus, Li 2CO3 decomposes on
heating to yield Li2O and CO2 while the carbonates of other metals are stable to
heat.
- The chlorides of alkali metals have high melting points and are strongly ionic.
They dissolve in water to give a neutral solution of simple hydrated ions which
reform to the anhydrous salt on evaporation i.e hydrolysis does not occur.

p-block elements
Are elements to the right end of the periodic table having their valence electrons on
the p-orbitals.
- The change or decrease in metallic character across the period to non-metals is
reflected in the higher electronegativity of p-block elements. The change is not a
sharp one though thus Al, Sn and Pb for example are all metals while Si and Ge
have some metallic characters.
- The non-metallic elements exist as covalent molecules with low melting and
boiling points.
- The chlorides of p-block elements are covalent compounds and with exception of
CCl4 are hydrolysed by water.
- Their oxides (except Al2O3 & SiO2) are generally volatile and acidic e.g CO2, SO2,
SO3 or neutral e.g CO, N2O. Al2O3 is amphoteric.
- Their hydrides are covalent but vary from neutral compounds (CH 4, SiH4), weak
bases (NH3, PH3, H2O), weak acids (H2S) to strong acids (HF, HCl).
- They display variable valencies and their compounds are able to act as oxidizing
agents.
- All p-block elements are able to form covalent compounds while the more
electronegative elements of group VIA and VIIA form anions with electropositive
elements of groups IA and IIA.