Elements in a group generally possess similar properties, but elements along a period have different properties. How do you explain this statement ?
- Physical and chemical properties of elements are related to their electronic configurations, particularly the outershell configurations.
- Therefore, all the elements in a group should have similar chemical proper¬ties.
- Similarly, across the table from left to right in any period, elements gets an increase in the atomic number by one unit between any two successive elements.
- Therefore, the electronic configuration of valence shell of any two elements in a period is not same. Due to this reason, elements along a period possess different chemical properties.