Periodic Table Quiz: 15 Chemistry Questions
The periodic table of the elements is one of the greatest achievements of science. From hydrogen to oganesson, do you know the secrets of the 118 chemical elements?
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Frequently asked questions: The Periodic Table
Here is a preview of what awaits you in this periodic table quiz: 15 multiple choice questions, each with a detailed explanation so you can learn while you play. Below are a few sample questions (and their answers, so no peeking before you play!).
Which scientist published the first version of the periodic table of the elements in 1869?
Answer: Dmitri Mendeleev. Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, published his periodic classification of the elements in 1869. His stroke of genius was to leave empty spaces for elements not yet discovered and to correctly predict their properties, such as gallium and germanium.
What does the atomic number of an element represent?
Answer: The number of protons in the nucleus. The atomic number (Z) is the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. It is what defines a chemical element: all carbon atoms have 6 protons, and all oxygen atoms have 8. It is the organising principle of the periodic table.
Which radioactive element, discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie, is named after their country of origin?
Answer: Polonium. Polonium (Po, atomic number 84) was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898 and named in honour of Poland, Marie Curie's native country (she was born Maria Skłodowska). It is an extremely radioactive and toxic element, millions of times more dangerous than cyanide.
Which principle organises the elements into rows (periods) in the periodic table?
Answer: Increasing number of electron shells. Each row (period) of the table corresponds to an increasing number of electron shells. Period 1 has a single shell, period 2 has two, and so on. It is the gradual filling of these shells that determines the chemical properties of the elements and their position in the table.
Which property do all the elements in the same column (group) of the periodic table share?
Answer: They have the same number of electrons in their outer shell. Elements in the same column (group) have the same number of electrons in their outer shell (valence electrons). This gives them similar chemical properties: for example, all the halogens (group 17) have 7 valence electrons and are very reactive.
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