Periodic Table Definition, Types, Examples & Uses

Periodic Table

Subject: Chemistry

Book: General Chemistry

The periodic table is an organized chart of chemical elements arranged by increasing atomic number. It groups elements by similar chemical properties, allowing scientists to predict behaviors of undiscovered elements. Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with its creation. Each element is placed in a specific row (period) and column (group) to highlight trends such as atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity. For example, metals are typically on the left, while nonmetals are on the right. Common uses include identifying element properties (e.g., atomic mass) and guiding chemical reactivity predictions.