THE PERIODIC TABLEThe periodic table is the tabular arrangement of elements according to their atomic numbers.Did you know that the first element to be produced artificially was Technetium?In the periodic table there are:• Alkali metals• Alkaline earth metals• Transition metals• Rare earth metals• Non-metals• Inert gases

ALKALI METALSThe alkali metals are a group in the periodic table consisting of the chemical elements lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium, and francium. This group lies in the s-block of the periodic table as all alkali metals have their outermost electron in an s-orbital: this electron configuration results in their characteristic properties. The alkali metals provide the best example of group trends in properties in the periodic table, with elements exhibiting well-characterized homologous behaviour.

ALKALINE EARTH METALSThe definition of Alkaline earth metals are any of the elements beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, occupying Group IIA (2) of the periodic table. They are reactive, electropositive, divalent metals, and form basic oxides which react with water to form comparatively insoluble hydroxides.The alkaline earth metals are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra). This group lies in the s-block of the periodic table as all alkaline earth metals have their outermost electron in an s-orbital.

TRANSITION METALSAs with all metals, the transition elements are both ductile and malleable, and conduct electricity and heat.Any of the set of metallic elements occupying a central block, in the periodic table, e.g. iron, manganese, chromium, and copper. They show a strong tendency to form coordination compounds, and many of their compounds are coloured.

RARE EARTH METALSRare earths are a series of chemical elements found in the Earth's crust that are vital to many modern technologies, including consumer electronics, computers and networks, communications, clean energy, advanced transportation, health care, environmental mitigation, national defence, and many others.

NON-METALSNon-metal is an element or substance that is not a metal.They are good insulators of heat and have low elasticity. Seventeen elements are classified as non-metals; most are gases (hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, fluorine, neon, chlorine, argon, krypton, xenon and radon); one is a liquid (bromine); and a few are solids (carbon, phosphorus, sulphur, selenium, and iodine).

INERT GASESInert gas is any of the gaseous elements helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon, occupying Group 0 (18) of the periodic table. They were long believed to be not reactive but compounds of xenon, krypton, and radon are now known.