need help for a science project and i dont understand it.
2007-05-02 09:03:45 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
On the Periodic table start by paying attention to two things: what row? and what vertical column?
The row tells you how many sets of electrons (electron levels) the atoms have. Helium is in the first, top row because it only has one level of electrons. - Neon is in the next two because it has two levels of electrons, and Argon in the third row because it has three levels.
Since Helium is in the first row and only has one level of electrons, that means that it only has two electrons.
OK, the vertical columns tell how 'filled up' the electron levels are. This gets pretty complicated, especially with the atoms in the middle of the Periodic table, but the first vertical column has atoms that have one electron in their outer level, the second vertical column has atoms that have two electrons.... and the last vertical row is the atoms that have the maximum number of electrons in their outer level.
This is important because atoms combine with each other according to the electrons on the outside. The atoms in the last vertical column all the way on the right side are filled up with electrons. That means they cannot combine. They are "inert" -- no combining. Supposedly the name "Noble Gases" refers to the fact that they don't combine with anyone else -- it's like saying they are snobby and stuck up and dont want to have anything to do with other atoms.
2007-05-02 09:19:21 · answer #1 · answered by matt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's in the upper right corner of the periodic table.
It's in the top row because it is the 2nd lightest element (only heavier than hydrogen).
It is in the far right colulmn, because it is a noble gas (also called an inert gas).
Other than that, I'm not sure what your teacher is looking for.
.
2007-05-02 09:09:16 · answer #2 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
by atomic number (protons and electrons)
2016-05-19 00:11:34 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋