Can someone tell me why we study the periodic table?

Answer 1

Because it illustrates the properies of different elements and puts them into an organised format. You can see at a glance what elements are for example metals and you can see the electronic structures just by looking at it.

Answer 2

Beacause it summarises an enormous amount of information and has brought order into chemistry.With a copy of the table we have hundreds of facts at our fingertips.We can obtain atomic numbers and mass numbers and work out the numbers of protons/electrons and neutrons.With the relative atomic mass we can deduce the relative abundances of isotopes.We can also write electronic configurations for atoms and ions and work out valences from the outer shell numbers.We can write chemical formulas and equations and understand bonding and important trends in the table like ionisation energies and electronegativity.The table is the template for all this even if other concepts come into play.How far would you get studying a foreign language if you couldn't use a dictionary?

Answer 3

The periodic table of the chemical elements is a tabular method of displaying the chemical elements.

The periodic table is ubiquitous within the academic discipline of chemistry, providing an extremely useful framework to classify, systematize and compare all the many different forms of chemical behavior. The table has also found wide application in physics, biology, engineering, and industry.

Answer 4

because otherwise we would have to write out fully the names of the elements which is a waste of time and pen ink. Also the periodic table shows us the mass and the number of electrons in outer shell clearly. We can compare elements with more ease due to the periodic table.

Answer 5

Because quite simply it is the most important tool to every person wishing to study chemistry. There is so much information bundled into one simple table. Electronic configuration of elements, their masses, nucleus structure, physical trends, state at standard conditions but to name a few.

With it calculations and classifcation of new elements become relatively simple, without it who can tell the difference between table salt and potassium chloride?

Good old Mendeleev eh?

Answer 6

So that you can know the short names for all the elements. It is very useful when answering questions on Mastermind - they always have a "what is the chemical symbol for...." question.

No, seriously, it helps you know all the elements so you can write equations and therefore work out what reactions would occur rather than doing the experiments - quite handy when you don't have a lab at home.

It sorts all the elements into useful catagories so you can tell at a glance what type of elements they are. It truly is a work of genius isn't it.

Answer 7

Its like lots of data about the elements in a table. That can be easily read and compared easily within a second instead of flisking through pages and pages. I had to learn it for my undergrad degree - what was the point in that?

Answer 8

to do exams. really, that's the only reason we learn about the periodic table... we never use it in real. what is the need to know elements and stuff, it's only for the sake of a science exam. unless you wanna become a scientist of course!!!

Answer 9

It has all the elements on it and you study it because you go to science class. Them fools in school want to fill our minds with useless crap, but if you want to be a scientist or a doctor then you should definitely know this stuff.

Answer 10

to save some paper in the exam so that they don't have to give you one.

or else because it saves you time from having to search the whole 109 or so elements to find their position and/or atomic number etc....

or else because they want to increase the workload on your already overloaded brain. this could be a test of how much your brain can test, who knows???? parhaps they want to use this as a means to limit the number of students passing the exams, because there is a numerous clausus or something???????


who can read the examiner's mind is truly fortunate indeed.....