What term describes a column on the periodic table where elements share similar properties?

What term describes a column on the periodic table where elements share similar properties?

• A. period
• B. group
• C. series
• D. block

Answer: (B)

Columns in the periodic table are groups (also called families). Elements in the same column share similar chemical properties because they have the same number of valence electrons, which largely governs bonding and reactivity. As you go down a group, you add electron shells, but the valence electron configuration—and thus the chemistry—remains alike. A period is a row, where properties change as you add a new energy level. A block refers to a section of the table defined by the type of orbital being filled (s, p, d, f), not the column’s shared properties. The word series isn’t the standard term used for a column of similar elements. So the best term for a column where elements exhibit similar properties is group.

Columns in the periodic table are groups (also called families). Elements in the same column share similar chemical properties because they have the same number of valence electrons, which largely governs bonding and reactivity. As you go down a group, you add electron shells, but the valence electron configuration—and thus the chemistry—remains alike.

A period is a row, where properties change as you add a new energy level. A block refers to a section of the table defined by the type of orbital being filled (s, p, d, f), not the column’s shared properties. The word series isn’t the standard term used for a column of similar elements.

So the best term for a column where elements exhibit similar properties is group.