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Chemistry SL Tips and Strategies
Knowing the Elements - Elemental Tricks
Element is the foundation of chemistry. It’s like the numbers in Mathematics. If you don’t know the numbers, you can’t understand Maths; if you don’t learn the elements, you will never succeed in Chemistry.
Everything is made up of elements. And all elements are inside the periodic table. So starting with the periodic table, we will talk about different characteristics and combinations of elements.
Group 1,2,3 Metals
Except H, group 1,2 and 3 elements are all metals which can form positive ions. Group 1 elements can form 1+ ions, group 2 elements can form 2+ ions and group 3 elements can form 3+ ions.
Group 5,6,7 non-metals
Group 5, 6 and 7 elements are all non-metals which can form negative ions. Group 5 elements can form 3- ions, group 6 elements can form 2- ions and group 7 elements (halide) can form 1- ions.
Group 4 non-metals
Group 4 elements are all non-metals which can form both positive and negative ions. They can form 4+ ions and 4- ions, depending on their bonding ions.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a special element which is the only non-metal in group 1. It is located in group 1 due to its one electron. It can form both positive ions (H+) and negative ions (H-/hydride).
Noble gas
Group 8 (also known as group 0) elements are known as noble gas. Noble gas has a low reactivity and does not form bonds with other elements.
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Transition metals
Transition metals are metals with no specific properties.
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