Understanding the Periodic Table Trends
Understanding the Periodic Table Trends
Electrons in shells
Electrons in atoms occupy energy levels, also called electron shells, outside the nucleus. Different shells can
hold different maximum numbers of electrons. The electrons in an atom occupy the lowest available energy
level first. This is the shell nearest the nucleus. When this shell is full the electrons begin to occupy the next
energy level.
Below is a table showing the maximum number of electrons an element can have for each of its energy level
shells. The information shown is for elements with atomic numbers 1 to 20:
The electronic structure of an atom is a description of how the electrons are arranged. It can
be shown as numbers or as a diagram.
Take lithium for example. The diagram shows each shell as a circle around the nucleus, with
each electron represented by a dot. The electronic structure for lithium is written as 2.1
(showing that lithium atoms have three electrons, two in the first shell and one in the second Figure 2 electronic
shell) structure of lithium
Electronic structures and the periodic table
The electronic structure of an element is linked to its position on the periodic table.
Group 7 elements are non-metals. They do not conduct electricity and are poor conductors of heat. The table
shows some properties of Group 7 elements. These exist as molecules. A strong force holds the atom of the
molecule together. The forces between a molecule and its neighbours are weak. It is easy to separate the
molecules of chlorine in the liquid state to form a gas. The table shows a trend in melting and boiling points.
They increase from top to bottom of the group. This is because the atoms (and molecules) of the elements get
bigger.
The reactions are similar. This is because all the Group 7 elements have seven electrons in the outer most
shell. For the Group 7 elements, reactions get less vigorous going down the group. This is different from
Groups 1 and 2, in which reactions get more vigorous going down the group.
Physical properties of the noble gases
Group 0 contains non-metal elements placed in the vertical column on the far right of the periodic table. The
elements in group 0 are called the noble gases. They exist as single atoms.
Boiling points
The noble gases all have low boiling points:
• helium, at the top of group 0, has the lowest boiling point of any element
• boiling point increases going down the group
This is because, going down group 0:
• the atoms become larger
• the intermolecular forces between the atoms become stronger
• more energy is needed to overcome these forces
Chemical properties of the noble gases
Compared to other elements, the noble gases are inert - they are extremely unreactive.
Explaining the inertness of noble gases
When elements react, their atoms complete their outer shells by losing, gaining, or sharing electrons. The
atoms of noble gases already have complete outer shells, so they have no tendency to lose, gain, or share
electrons. This is why the noble gases are inert and do not take part in chemical reactions.
The table summarises the electronic configurations of elements in groups 1, 7 and 0. You should see that:
• atoms of group 1 and 7 elements have incomplete outer shells (so they are reactive)
• atoms of group 0 elements have complete outer shells (so they are unreactive)
Properties and uses of noble gases
The main properties of the noble gases include:
• they have low densities
• they are inert, so they are not flammable
Many uses of the noble gases are linked to one or more of these properties.
Helium is used as a lifting gas in party balloons and airships.
Prep III
Learning Objective(s):
1.7.1 Use diagrams and conventional symbols to represent, make, and compare circuits that include cells, switches, resistors (fixed
and variable), ammeters, voltmeters, lamps, and buzzers.
1.7.2 Know how to measure current and voltage in series and parallel circuits, and describe the effect of adding cells and lamps.
Current
Current is a measure of how much electric charge flows through a circuit. The more charge that flows, the
bigger the current.
Current is measured in amperes. The symbol for ampere is A. For example, 20 A is a bigger current than 5 A.
The word ‘ampere’ is often abbreviated to ‘amp’, so people talk about how many amps flow.
Measuring current
A device called an ammeter is used to measure current. Some types of ammeters have a pointer on a dial, but
most have a digital display. To measure the current flowing through a component in a circuit, you must connect
the ammeter in series with it.
1
Prep III
If you put more lamps into a series circuit, the lamps will be dimmer than
before because less current will flow through them.
You might think that the current gets less as it flows through one component
after another, but it is not like this. The current is not used up by the
components in a circuit. This means that the current is the same everywhere in
a series circuit, even if it has lots of lamps or other components.
Parallel circuits
In a parallel circuit, different components are connected on different branches
of the wire. If you follow the circuit diagram from one side of the cell to the Figure 2 All three ammeters read 0.5 A
other, you can only pass through all the different components if you follow all in this series circuit
the branches.
Parallel circuits are useful if you want everything to work, even if one
component has failed. This is why our homes are wired up with parallel
circuits.
Current is shared
When two components are connected in parallel, the
current is shared between the components. The
current is shared when it reaches the branches, then
adds again where the branches meet.
Figure 3 The current in this series circuit
increases as more cells are added.
In the diagram, 6 A flows through the cell. The circuit has three branches, each with an identical lamp, so 2 A
flows through each one.
If the lamps were not identical, their resistances would be different and the current flowing through each
lamp would not be the same. The greater the resistance of a lamp, the smaller the current that flows
through it. The current would still be shared between them, and it would still add where the branches
meet.
2
Prep III
1. A hand holds a length of rope 2. The hand is flicked down, and 3. The hand is jerked up, and a
taut an inverted U-shape has second U-shape has appeared in
appeared in the rope the rope
In the diagram above, the rope moves up and down, but the energy is transferred along the rope from left to
right, at 90° to the oscillation.
In a transverse wave, the oscillation (vibration) is at right angles to the direction of energy transfer.
• The particles move up and down as the wave moves from left to right.
• However, none of the particles are transported along a transverse wave.
Longitudinal waves
Sound waves, pressure waves, and primary waves (a type of seismic wave produced by earthquakes) are
longitudinal waves. Longitudinal waves can also be made by pushing a slinky forward and backward, and they
look like this:
Prep III
The hand on the coiled metal The highlighted vibration is The energy is transferred along the
spring creates the movement parallel to the direction of energy coiled metal spring parallel to the
of the vibration transfer by hand to the coiled vibration
metal spring
In a longitudinal wave, the vibration is parallel to the direction of energy transfer.
In the diagram above, each coil of the slinky moves backwards and forwards on either side of its rest position.
However, none of the coils are moved along the length of the slinky. They just move backwards and forwards
parallel to the direction in which the energy flows. The energy is transferred along the slinky, parallel to the
oscillation.
Describing transverse waves
Some important terms are used to describe waves:
• Peak – the highest point of a transverse wave is called
a peak, like the highest point of a mountain.
• Trough – the lowest point of a transverse wave is called
a trough because it makes the shape of a trough that an
animal might eat from.
• Amplitude – the distance from a peak or a trough to
the rest position is called the amplitude of the wave. A
wave with tall peaks has a large amplitude.
• Wavelength – The distance from one peak to the next
peak is called the wavelength. The wavelength of a wave could also be measured from one trough to the next
trough, or from any point on the wave to the same point on the next cycle of the wave.
Figure 2 This displacement-distance graph is how you would measure a wavelength of a wave
Prep III
Figure 4 Wave B, shown in green, has a smaller amplitude and a shorter wavelength than wave A, shown in red
Displacement-time graphs
Displacement-time graph demonstrates how the displacement of one point on the wave varies over time. A
displacement-time graph can be used to compare the number of waves in a particular time period, which in
turn can be used to compare the frequency of different waves.
Figure 5 Wave B, shown in green, has a shorter time period than wave A, shown in red. This means it also has a higher frequency.
What is the relationship between sound frequency, pitch, and volume?
The frequency of a sound wave is related to the pitch of the sound, but not the volume. The amplitude determines the
volume of a sound. A sound wave with a higher frequency is perceived as having a higher pitch. A high frequency happens
when a wave is traveling faster with a short wavelength.
How is the amplitude of sound measured?
The amplitude of a sound is measured using the SI unit: decibels (dB). The decibel number represents the volume or
loudness of the sound. On a graph, amplitude is the height of the wave measured from the rest position of the wave to
the top of the wave.
How does amplitude affect sound?
The amplitude of a sound affects the way the loudness or volume of a
sound is perceived. A sound with a taller amplitude is perceived as a
louder sound. Sound waves with a higher amplitude require more energy
to create.
What are the 3 properties of sound waves?
The 3 main properties of sound waves are amplitude, wavelength, and
frequency. The amplitude, wavelength, and frequency of a sound wave
determine how the sound is perceived and are affected by the amount
of energy used to create the sound. The amplitude, or height of the
sound wave determines its loudness. The wavelength is the distance between two waves and affects the wave's
frequency. Frequency determines the pitch of the sound. A higher frequency means a higher pitched sound.
Prep III
The air has many sound waves passing through it. When two
sound waves of the same frequency meet and their compressions
and rarefactions occur at the same place, they are said to interfere
in a constructive way and produce a wave of greater amplitude, as Figure 1.1 Sound waves of the same
Figure 1.1 shows. frequency interfere in a constructive way
When two sound waves of the same frequency meet and their when their compressions and rarefactions
compressions and rarefactions occur at different places, they are occur at the same place.
said to interfere in a destructive way and produce a wave with a
smaller amplitude. (Figure 1.2)
Learning Objective(s):
1.11.4: Know that energy is conserved, meaning it cannot be created or destroyed.
Energy is the capacity to do work. While this definition tells us what energy can do, it doesn’t fully explain what energy is.
Energy is a complex concept—it comes in many forms, has various sources, and follows scientific laws that govern how it
behaves. We often observe energy through its effects, like turning on a light or running up stairs, but it’s harder to imagine
energy in something static, like an apple on a desk. Yet even the apple has stored energy—potential energy due to its position
and chemical energy in its structure. If it falls, that potential energy becomes kinetic energy; if eaten, it releases chemical
energy.
Energy can change form or move between objects, but it is never created or destroyed. This is the law of conservation of
energy. For example, electrical energy in a lightbulb becomes light and heat. A moving car transfers kinetic energy to its
brakes, which release heat. Even when energy spreads out or becomes less useful, the total amount remains constant.
Energy Transformations and Transfers
Although energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can change forms. For example, when you turn on a light bulb, electrical
energy is converted into light energy and heat energy. Similarly, when you listen to music, electrical energy is transformed
into sound energy through the speaker.
2. A Pendulum: A pendulum swinging back and forth demonstrates energy conservation. At the highest point of its
swing, the pendulum has maximum potential energy and minimal kinetic energy. As it falls, its potential energy
decreases and its kinetic energy increases. At the lowest point, the pendulum has maximum kinetic energy. Despite
these changes, the total energy of the system remains constant.
3. Bouncing a Ball: When you drop a ball, its potential energy (due to its height) converts to kinetic energy as it falls.
When the ball hits the ground, some of that energy is transferred to the ground, and some bounce back as kinetic
energy, pushing the ball upward. Over time, the ball stops bouncing as its energy is gradually lost to the surroundings
as heat and sound, but the total energy is still conserved within the system.
4. Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions: in exothermic reactions, energy is released as heat and sometimes as light
and sound as well into the surroundings. In endothermic reactions, energy is taken from the substances in the
surrounding area and stored in the product. No energy is destroyed or created. It simply moves from one to
another form and is conserved.
Understanding conservation of energy helps explain why some processes are more efficient than others. Energy may be
transformed into less useful forms, but it’s always conserved. Whether in motion, heat, sound, or chemical bonds, energy
remains constant in a closed system
Prep III
Learning Objective(s):
1.11.5 Describe the difference between heat and temperature.
1.11.6 Know that thermal energy will always transfer from hotter regions or objects to colder ones, and this is known as heat
dissipation
1.12.7 Describe thermal transfer by the processes of conduction, convection and radiation.
Thermal equilibrium
If there is a difference in temperature between two objects, energy transfers by heating from the hotter
object to the cooler one.
The greater difference in temperature, the faster the energy is transferred.
Example 1 - eating an ice lolly on a hot day
Energy is transferred by heating from the hot surroundings to the cold lolly. This causes the lolly to warm
up.
Example 2 - drinking a hot coffee on a cold day
Energy is transferred by heating from the hot coffee to the cold surroundings. This causes the coffee to cool
down.
When the objects reach the same temperature as the surrounding environment, the energy transfer will
stop.
When the objects are at the same temperature, they are in thermal equilibrium.
Conduction
Conduction is where energy is transferred by the vibrating particles in a substance. The energy is transferred
from a hotter region to a cooler region.
Conduction happens fastest in solids because the particles are close together.
Materials which transfer energy easily from a hot area to a cooler area by conduction are called conductors.
Metals are very good conductors.
Have a look through this slideshow to understand more about metals as conductors.
Materials which do not transfer energy easily from a hotter area to a cooler area are called insulators. Air and
plastics are good insulators.
The best insulator is a vacuum. Conduction cannot occur if there are no particles.
Prep III
Convection
A fluid is a substance that can flow. Both liquids and gases are fluids.
The particles in a fluid can move around from one place to another.
Look through the slideshow to understand more about the stages of convection.
In convection, heat energy is carried away by the particles of the material that
change position. When a metal pan of water is put on stove, the water closest to the
hot surface at the bottom of the pan receives heat from the metal first. The
molecules of water next to the metal move faster and spread further apart as their kinetic energy increases.
This makes the water at the bottom of the pan less dense than the water above it and the warm water rises.
Cooler water from above moves in to take the place of the rising warmer water. The cool water is also
warmed and rises. It is replaced by yet more cool water and convection currents are set up, as shown in
figure 12.10.
Radiation
All objects transfer energy to their surroundings by infrared radiation. The
hotter the object, the more infrared radiation it emits.
Infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic wave. Unlike conduction and
convection, there are no particles involved. This means that energy can be
transferred by radiation when there are no
particles, like the vacuum of space.
Radiation is why we feel the warmth of the Sun. Thermal imaging cameras
detect the amount of infrared radiation emitted by an object. The camera
produces an image like this one of the hands. The blue and purple areas
represent cooler areas. These emit less infrared radiation. The yellow and
orange areas represent hotter areas. These emit lots of infrared radiation.
Dark matt surfaces are better at absorbing heat energy than light shiny surfaces. Dark matt surfaces are
better at radiating heat energy than light shiny surfaces.
Prep III
Learning Objective(s):
1.12.8 Explain cooling by evaporation.
Science in Context:
Uses of cooling by evaporation.
Cooling systems are used in fridges around the world. They bring about cooling by evaporation. Figure of fridge show how
they work.