How do valence electrons relate to the periodic table?

1 Answer
Dec 29, 2015

Valence electrons relate to the position of elements within the groups and periods of the periodic table, and also their position within blocks.

Explanation:

The number of valence electrons an atom has determines its location in the period: the element with the electron configuration of #"[Ne]"3"s"^2 3"p"^4# has six valence electrons, so within its period of #3# it must be a group #6# element: the element is therefore sulfur. Note that changing the number of valence electrons only affects the position of the element within a period, and once you move down into the next group what were previously valence electrons are valence electrons no longer.

Source: #Study#.#com#

The periodic table can also be divided up into blocks, depending on the highest orbital of an atom of that element's electron configuration. Once more, sulfur's electron configuration is #"[Ne]"3"s"^2 3"p"^4#: its highest orbital is in the #3"p"# sub-level, and so it belongs to the #"p"#-block. Consider, then, that blocks also group elements with similar periodicity, because both block allocation and chemical properties are determined by the valence electrons.