Elemental Properties and Types - AP Chemistry

Transition metals are found in the "middle" of the table

Na and Sr are metals

Cl and Po are non-metals

Rn is radon, a noble gas, which is not a metal. As a rule, elements to the left are metals, elements to the right are non-metals. The barrier would be the elements that are immideately to the right of the transition metals

Metalloids are the groups of elements that separate the metals and non-metals; these form a "stair-case" on the periodic table

Transition metals have only partially filled valence bands. Thus, the electrons can move among the d orbitals, and this electron flow allows the transition metals to be good conductors of electricity.

The correct answer choice is an accurate explanation of effective nuclear charge. Since electrons are negatively charged, they are attracted to protons, which are positively charged. Protons are located in the nucleus of an atom.

The metals are found on the left side and the middle of the periodic table, and include the active metals, transition metals, and lanthanide and actinide series of elements. They easily give up electrons to form cations, since they have LOW ionization energies.

The number of neutorns is the only thing out of the answer choices that does not impact an element's atomic radius. Since neutrons have no charge, they do not impact the attractive forces between electrons and protons.

Selenium is on the right side of the periodic table, so it is not a metal or metalloid. It is not in column 7 or 8, so it is not a halogen or noble gas. Thus, it must be a nonmetal.

Electricity is produced and conducted by the movement of electrons, and thus the most important property that allows them to be used for wiring is their valence electrons that can move freely.

Hydrogen does not have enough space for 8 electrons, since it has only one s-subshell, which holds a maximum of 2 electrons.

This is the correct definition of ionization energy. By removing an electron from an atom, a cation is produced.

Ionic bonds occur between metals and non-metals. The non-metal species are often halogens, very electronegative atoms which will completely take one of the non-metal's electrons. An ionic bond is not as much a bond as it is an association between positive and negatively charged atoms (ions). This association leads to the formation of rigid lattice structures of ionic compounds. Which makes them very stable, as seen by their high boiling points. When looking for ionic bonding, look for bonding between non-metals and metals, and atoms that are from opposite ends of the periodic table.

Atoms in the third period and above have d-orbitals that can hold up to 10 elecrons. This is what allows for atoms to exceed the octet rule.

B (boron) is one of the atoms known for making fewer than 4 covalent bonds, and therefore not filling its octet. C (carbon) always makes 4 bonds, while O (oxygen) and Cl (chloride) are also known for having full octets.

Rust forms when a substance is oxidized; thus iron cannot be a better oxidizing agent, because that would mean it would be more easily reduced. Aluminum and zinc are reactive, so that answer choice can be ruled out. Aluminum and zinc can form protective oxides by complexing the atom with oxygen.

While many transition metals will lose an electron from the s shell before the d shell, many transition metals will lose only one electron from the s shell or none at all. The reason for this is that there is an enhanced stability when the transition metal's d shell is half filled, , so trasition metals will lose or not lose from the s shell in order to obtain a more stable electron configuration.

Electronegativity is defined as the tendency of an atom to attract an electron in a bond that it shares with another atom. Because oxygen wants to receive two elctrons, while both sodiums wish to lose one electron, oxygen has a higher electronegativity than sodium. Typically, electronegativity can be seen as increasing as you go to the top right of the periodic table. For example, fluorine has a higher electronegativity than nitrogen.

Strontium is in the same group as calcium in the periodic table, which means that they both have the same number of valence electrons; they are both alkaline earth metals with two valence electrons. This is one of the most important chemical properties, as it dictates how an element will react. Like calcium, strontium will lose its two valence electrons easily to form ionic compounds.

Metals are on the left side of the periodic table, nonmetals on the right, and metalloids follow a diagonal line from boron down to polonium. Silicon is one of these.

In general, metallic character decreases from the left of the period to the right, with the far right of the table representing the noble gases. Metalloids represent the junction between the metals and nonmetals within the period.