Families: Grouping of the Periodic Table

• Elements within a column are considered “families.”
• They have similar chemical and physical properties.
• They all have the same number of electrons in the outermost shell (energy level).
• Families of the periodic table
• Alkali metals (column 1/Group number 1A)
• Alkaline earth metals (column 2/Group number 2A)
• Halogens (column 17/Group number 7A)
• Noble/inert gases (column 18/Group number 8A)