Families of Elements

1. Families of Elements By Mary Katherine Paulone

2. Sodium • Alkali Metals • Group 1 • Na • Atomic Number 11 • Soft, silvery-white, highly reactive • Found in table salt • One valence electron • Essential element for all animals and some plants

3. Calcium • Alkaline-Earth Metal • Group 2 • Ca • Atomic Number 20 • Soft gray • Less reactive than Alkali Metals • Two valence electrons • Fifth most abundant element by mass in Earth’s crust • Used for many cellular processes • Found in bones, teeth, and shells of animals

4. Mercury • Transition Metal • Group 12 • Hg • Atomic Number 80 • Quicksilver • Much less reactive then Groups one and two • Lose electrons to form positive ions • Only liquid metal under standard temperatures and pressures • Used in thermometers

5. Aluminum • Boron Family • 3 Valence Electrons • Al • Atomic Number 13 • Silvery, white, soft • Group 13 • Most abundant metal in Earth’s crust • Found in cans, foil, siding

6. Tin • Carbon Family • 4 Valence Electrons • Sn • Atomic Number 50 • Silvery or Gray • Group 14 • Used to coat steel in making rust proof cans

7. Phosphorus • Nitrogen Family • 5 Valence Electrons • P • Atomic Number 15 • Solid Form • Yellow or red form • Group 15 • Basic part of organs and bones

8. Sulfur • Oxygen Family • 6 Valence Electrons • S • Atomic Number 16 • Yellow solid • Group 16 • Used to make matches and rubber tires

9. Fluorine • Halogen Family • 7 Valence Electrons • F • Atomic Number 9 • Pale yellow gas at standard temperature and pressure • Group 17 • Lightest Halogen • Compounds used in toothpaste, insecticides, and in the preparation of some plastics

10. Neon • Noble Gas • 8 Valence Electrons • Ne • Atomic Number 10 • Colorless and odorless • Group 18 • Gas • Not react with other elements • “Happy” • Compressed in glow lamps

11. Lanthanides • Family begins with element lanthanum • Atomic numbers 57-71 • Used in production of steel and glass • Rare Earth elements • Electron configurations determined by experiments

12. Actinides • Family begins with actinium • Atomic Numbers 89-103 • Radioactive • Give off high energy particles • Used in nuclear weapon tests

13. Hydrogen • Atomic Number 1 • H • Lightest element • Colorless gas • Non-toxic and highly combustible • Most abundant chemical substance • Has one proton and on electron • No neutrons