Online labs include: Mixture Separation Living in a Thirsty World Matter and Change Why it Matters

Secrets of the
Cremona Violins
Dr. Nagyvary and his violin
15

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Key Terms
group
period
nonmetal
family
metal
metalloid
As you have read, elements are pure substances that cannot be decomposed 
by chemical changes. The elements serve as the building blocks of matter. Each 
element has characteristic properties. The elements are organized into groups 
based on similar chemical properties. This organization of elements is the 
periodic 
table
, which is shown in 
Figure 3.2
on the next page.
Main idea
The periodic table organizes elements by their 
chemical properties.
Each small square of the periodic table shows the symbol for an element 
and its atomic number. For example, the first square, at the upper left, 
represents element 1, hydrogen, which has the symbol H. As you look 
through the table, you will see many familiar elements, including iron, 
sodium, neon, silver, copper, aluminum, sulfur, and lead. You can often 
relate an element’s symbol to its English name. Some symbols come from 
the element’s older name, which was often in Latin. Still others come from 
German. For example, the symbol W for tungsten comes from its German 
name, wolfram. 
Figure 3.1
lists some elements and their older names.
Elements
Main ideas
The periodic table organizes 
elements by their chemical 
properties.
Some elements are metals.
Some elements are nonmetals 
or metalloids.
Figure 3.1
eleMents with syMbols based on older naMes