What information does the periodic table provide about elements?

The periodic table provides information about elements' atomic number, atomic mass, electron configuration, and chemical properties.

The periodic table is a tabular arrangement of chemical elements, organised based on their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. Elements are listed in order of increasing atomic number, which is the number of protons in an element's atomic nucleus. This number is unique to each element and defines the element's identity.

The atomic mass of each element is also listed on the periodic table. This is roughly equivalent to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom. It's important to note that this is an average mass, as some elements have isotopes with different numbers of neutrons, which changes the mass.

The electron configuration of an element, which describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's electron shells, can also be determined from the periodic table. The period (row) an element is in tells you the number of electron shells, and the group (column) can help determine the number of electrons in the outer shell. This is crucial as it influences how an element will react chemically.

The periodic table also groups elements with similar chemical properties together. For example, elements in the same group (vertical column) have the same number of electrons in their outer shell, which means they tend to react in similar ways. The table is divided into blocks related to these electron configurations: s-block, p-block, d-block, and f-block.

In addition, the table provides information about the state of the elements at room temperature (solid, liquid, or gas), and categorises them into metals, non-metals, and metalloids. The periodic table is a powerful tool for predicting the chemical behaviour of elements and understanding the relationships between them.