A periodic table is one in which the properties of the elements are arranged in a particular order, thereby identifying the atomic or ionic structure. A periodic table is used for identifying all the chemical properties of the various elements, including their atomic or ionic structures. It is used extensively in the physical as well as the chemical arena.
Properties of an element can be classified in terms of its atomic number. The atomic number of an element determines its atomic structure. Atoms are made up of neutral entities and their atoms are arranged in what are known as atoms. Atoms which are relatively closer in proximity to each other have higher atomic numbers. The closer atomic number of an element is to that of another element, the more similar it is in structure to that element with whose atomic number it is closest to.
An element has a definite number of electrons – known as the electron – which makes it different from other elements. There are many types of elements, including those with no electrons and others with numerous electrons but with no hydrogen or oxygen in the outer shell. These elements have no ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ charges and are electrically neutral.
There are several classes of elements – the transition elements, which are in continuous flux between their initial state and final state; the main elements, which include the elements comprising graphite, diamond and ruby; the alkaline earth metals, which include all the alkaline earth metal elements and the transition elements, which are highly volatile and metallic in character. The most common transition elements are titanium, strontium, lithium, cobalt, iridium and selenium. The most important periodic table of elements includes those of the Periodic Table of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Codes of Enzymes (ICAE). Other significant classifications are those of the periodic table of the world political powers, the periodic table of the elements for the minerals and gemstones, the periodic table of the elements for the sapphires, the rubies and the emeralds, and the periodic table of the elements for the plant life.
The elements could be classified on a number of different criteria, depending on their atomic masses, colour, appearance, etc. The atomic mass of any element is the amount of weight that an atom of that element can posses, irrespective of its chemical nature. Thus, elements could be either heavy or light. The lighter elements are the basic building blocks of the universe and are very common in the universe. They make up about 74% of the earth’s total volume.
Elements are further classified according to their physical properties. The most common elements are hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sodium, bromine, phosphorus, silicon, iron, sulfur, iodine, sulphur, bromine, mercury, iodine, lithium, boron, silicon, beryllium, mercury, aluminium, iron, boron, phosphorus, bromine, nitrogen, bromine, lithium, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine, sulphur, silicon, iron, titanium, phosphorus, mercury, tin, aluminum, lead, iodine, beryllium, rhodium, magnetism, alkalinity, solubility, aromatic values, porosities, electrical charges, electronic charges, chemical bonds, mechanical strength, nuclear bonding, permeability, chemical reaction, sound emission, colour, chemical bonding, and optical symmetry. In addition, there are some unique elements, such as boron, which are an element with two hydrogen atoms, and boron, which is an element with one hydrogen atom and one electron. Some other unique elements include yttrium, strontium, barium, americium, iodine, uranium, titanium, iridium, molybdenum, strontium oxide, and iodine complements.
The periodic table of elements was established by Leo Klawer during the late nineteenth century. It uses an alphabetical ordering to list the atomic numbers of elements, and includes physical properties such as electronegativity, density, and time. Its primary goal was to establish a set of physical properties for elements that were chemically similar, so that their combination could provide a standardized form of a substance. By using a fixed set of physical properties, the elements could be easily distinguished from one another. By assigning a number to each element, the periodic function could be used to determine the elements’ properties at various distances in space-this is how the periodic law came into being.
Although the periodic table has been greatly expanded since its inception, many of its initial rules still remain useful. Elements can be placed in a periodic classification by taking their atomic numbers and placing them in a particular order. For instance, elements one through five are arranged in the ascending order of their atomic numbers, while elements six through nine are arranged in the descending order. A periodic classification of elements can also be used to determine whether elements have certain properties, such as electromagnetic or sound waves, or if they bond chemically with other elements.