As a young student of chemistry, you might be wondering what’s the point of having a chart with symbols and numbers all over it? As we all start chemistry questions like, why do we need to know this? Why was periodic table created? Was it made to torture us with bunch of memorizing?
But if you ever decide to take the wonderful subject of chemistry to the further level, then you will understand the deep meaning hidden inside the numbers, symbols and the arrangement of elements in the periodic table.
So what exactly is this deep meaning?
1.) Periodic Groups: Vertical columns in a period table are known as groups. The first group, Alkali Metals then Alkaline Metals, halogens and other fifteen groups. Groups tell us something about the elements in those groups so that we can utilize the elements to their full potential and make it easier for younger students to make it easier to learn.
2.) Periodic Trends: The chemistry trends such as atomic radius, atomic mass, nuclear charge are important information to find out how strong the charge is on the atom. To make this easier in the periodic table the atomic radius increases as one goes down the periodic groups. Isn’t that a lot easier than to memorize all the numbers and then figure out by comparing 100+ elements to see which one has higher atomic mass and nuclear charge?
3.) Symbolism: The elements have symbols rather than full names, making it easier and much faster to write. Before the periodic table was created, scientists would have a lot of trouble memorizing each and every element and it couldn’t be taught in school because of these complications. The symbols and listing of all the elements makes it easier for scientists to memorize elements and more valuable time experimenting further.
In addition to that, symbolism and sophistication of the periodic table made it a lot easier for more people to understand and therefore there were more brains that were dwelling for more information and that is why today we know so much about these elements.
Organization, summarized information about each and every element and also spaces for future elements makes periodic tables very interesting and extremely important to study chemistry.
Hopefully, by now you have understood that periodic tables aren’t just a piece of paper with symbols and numbers; it actually contains information such as atomic mass, atomic radius, physical attributes and trends between elements.
It would take years to get all the information, but as humans evolved so did their study behaviors. Today we study smarter by making information short but detailed which saves time and periodic table is a perfect example of how humans make information much easier to understand.
I consider periodic tables a masterpiece of chemistry, without which chemistry wouldn’t be taught the same way in schools and colleges.
