The Main Group Elements

1A 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7A 8A
(1) (2) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18)
3B 4B 5B 6B 7B — 8B — 1B 2B
(3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12)
1 H He
2 Li Be B C N O F Ne
3 Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
4 K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
5 Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
6 Cs Ba La   Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
7 Fr Ra Ac   Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Uub — Uuq — — — —
6   Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
7   Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr

 

The main group elements (or representative elements) include many of the most familiar elements on the periodic table.  They are found in the two tall columns on the left side of the periodic table, and the six tall columns on the right side.

The main group elements comprise a range of chemical behaviors, from metals to nonmetals, and a range of physical states, from solids to gases.  For many periodic properties, there are fairly predictable trends and patterns across the main group elements.

In the sections below this heading, the properties of each group is briefly described, along with some of the more important chemical properties of the elements in that group.