Groups in the Periodic Table

Cliff Notes

I. Groups

A. group: a vertical column in the periodic table

B. elements in the same groups have similar properties

C. Group 1 - alkali metals

Group 2 - alkaline earth metals

Group 3-12 - transition metals

Group 17 - halogens

Group 18 - noble gases

II. Characteristics of Groups

A. alkali metals - metals, highly reactive, never found in elemental form in nature, low electronegativity (gives away one electron)

B. alkaline earth metals - metals, highly reactive (but less than alkali metals), never found in elemental form in nature, low electronegativity (gives away 2 electrons)

C. transition metals - metals, include radioactive elements, have various chemical properties

D. halogens - non-metals, occur in combined form in nature (e.g. F2, Cl2, Br2), highly electronegative (gains one electron)

E. noble gases - non-metals, all gases, non-reactive, have a full outer-energy level