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The periodic table, also referred to as the periodic table of the chemical elements, is a tabular representation of the chemical elements. It is most widely used in chemistry, physics, and other sciences as well, and is usually seen as an icon of chemistry. It is a graphic formulation of the periodic law, it states that the properties of the chemical elements possess a periodic dependence on their atomic numbers. The first periodic table that was widely accepted was that of the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869: he formulated the periodic law as a dependence of chemical properties based on the atomic mass. As not all elements were known then, there were some gaps in his periodic table, and Mendeleev successfully used the periodic law to predict the properties of some of the missing elements. The periodic law was then recognized as a fundamental discovery in the late 19th century, and it was explained with the discovery of the atomic number.
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The Significance of Modern Periodic Table
The periodic table has gone through many changes as and when the Dmitri Mendeleev drew up its original design in the year 1869, thus both the first table and the modern periodic table are important for the same reason: The periodic table arranges elements based on their similar properties so we are able to tell the characteristics of an element just by looking at their position on the table.
Before the emergence of all the naturally occurring elements, the periodic table was used to predict the chemical and physical properties of elements in the gaps on the table. But today, the table can be used to predict the properties of elements that are yet to be discovered, however all these new elements are highly radioactive and break down into more similar elements almost instantly.
Nowadays, the table is useful for modern students and scientists since it helps in predicting the types of chemical reactions that a particular element is most likely to participate in. Instead of memorizing facts and figures for each element, students and scientists need only glance at the table to learn much about the reactivity of an element, whether it is likely to conduct electricity, or whether it is hard or soft, and many other characteristics.
Elements present in the same column to one other are known as groups and they share similar properties. As for example, the elements lying in the first column (the alkali metals) represent all the metals that generally carry a +1 charge in reactions, react rapidly with water, and combine readily with non-metals.
Elements present in the same row as one other are referred to as periods and they share the same highest unexcited electron energy level. Another very useful characteristic of the periodic table is that most tables provide all the information one needs to balance a chemical reaction at a glance. The table tells each element’s atomic number and also their atomic weight. The actual charge of an element is represented by its group.
Periodicity
The arrangement of periodic tables is based on the trends in element properties.
As one moves from left to right across a row of elements, the atomic radius (the size of an element’s atoms) keeps on decreasing, ionization energy (it is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom) increases, electron affinity (it represents the amount of energy released when an atom forms a negative ion) usually increases, and electronegativity (that’s an atom’s tendency to attract a pair of electrons) also increases.
As we move from top to bottom down a column of elements, we can see an increase in the atomic radius, ionization energy decreases, electron affinity generally decreases, and electronegativity also decreases.
Conclusion
In conclusion we can say that the periodic table is important as it is organized to provide a great deal of information about the elements and how they relate to one another.
The periodic table might be used to predict the properties of elements, even those that have not yet been discovered.
Columns (i.e. the groups) and rows (the periods) represent elements that possess similar characteristics.
The table helps in making the trends in element properties easy to understand.
The table provides useful information that can be used in balancing chemical equations.
