Science Common Sense

1202 - What is the pattern of elements' properties?

The pattern of elements' properties is called the Periodic Table. Imagine a big chart with rows and columns of elements.

• The elements in a column (called a group) have similar properties. For example, the elements in the first column are very reactive.
• The elements in a row (called a period) have properties that get stronger or weaker as you go across the row. For example, the elements in the top row are very small, and the elements in the bottom row are very big.

The Periodic Table helps us see how elements are related and how their properties change as we move across and down the chart.