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The Periodic Table

Understand periods, groups, and trends like electronegativity and atomic radius.

Section 01

Periods and groups

Rows are called periods (energy levels of the outer electrons). Columns are called groups; elements in a group share similar chemical behavior because they have the same number of valence electrons.

Section 02

Metals, nonmetals, metalloids

Metals (left) are shiny conductors, nonmetals (upper right) are dull insulators, and metalloids (staircase) have properties of both.

Section 03

Periodic trends

Atomic radius grows down a group and shrinks across a period. Electronegativity — pulling power for electrons — does the opposite: it grows across a period toward fluorine, the most electronegative element.

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + ATP
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