Family,Name,Description
"Alkali metal","Alkali Metals","The Alkali Metals, found in Group 1 of the Periodic Table, are highly reactive metals that do not occur freely in nature. These metals have only one electron in their outer shell. Therefore, they are ready to lose that one electron in ionic bonding with other elements. The Alkali Metals are malleable, ductile, silvery, good conductors of heat and electricity, and have low melting points, boiling points, and densities. They also react violently with water and therefore must be stored in oil."
"Alkaline earth metal","Alkaline Earth Metals","The Alkaline Earth Metals are metallic elements found in Group 2 of the Periodic Table. All Alkaline Earth Metals are strong reducing agents, and have an oxidation number of +2, making them very reactive. These metals are also shiny, lustrous, and good conductors of heat and electricity. They have low melting points, boiling points, and densities (but higher than those of Alkali Metals)."
"Transition metal","Transition Metals","The 38 elements in Groups 3 through 12 of the Periodic Table are called Transition Metals. As with all metals, the Transition elements are both ductile and malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity. Their valence electrons are present in more than one shell. This is why they often exhibit several common oxidation states. They also have high melting points, boiling points, and densities."
"Post-transition metal","Post-Transition Metals","While Post-Transition Metals are ductile and malleable, they are not the same as the Transition Metals. These elements, unlike the Transition Metals, do not exhibit variable oxidation states, and their valence electrons are only present in their outer shell. All of these elements are solid, have a relatively high density, and are opaque."
"Metalloid","Metalloids","Metalloids are the elements found between the boundary that distinguishes metals from non-metals. Metalloids have properties of both metals and non-metals. For example, they can be shiny or dull, and are more brittle than metals but less brittle than non-metals. Some of the Metalloids, such as Silicon and Germanium, are semi-conductors because they partially conduct electricity."
"Nonmetal","Nonmetals","Non-metals are the elements in Groups 14-16 of the Periodic Table. Non-metals are not able to conduct electricity or heat very well. As opposed to metals, non-metallic elements are very brittle. The Non-metals can be gases such as oxygen, and solids such as carbon. The Non-metals have no metallic luster, and do not reflect light."
"Halogen","Halogens","The Halogens are non-metallic elements found in Group 17 of the Periodic Table. All Halogens have 7 electrons in their outer shells, giving them an oxidation number of -1. The members of the Halogen family are highly reactive, toxic to humans, and go from gas to liquid to solid at room temperature as you descend the group. The word ""halogen"" means ""salt former"" or ""salt maker"". When Halogens react with metals, they produce a wide range of salts. Halogens also have a high electronegativity and electron affinity."
"Noble gas","Noble Gases","The Noble Gases are found in Group 18 of the Periodic Table. These elements have an oxidation number of 0. This prevents them from forming compounds readily. All Noble Gases also have 8 electrons in their outer shell, making them stable, inert, and highly non-reactive. They are all odorless, colorless, monatomic, have low melting points, low boiling points, and high ionization energies."
"Lanthanide","Lanthanides","The Lanthanides consist of the elements in the f-block in Period 6 of the Periodic Table. They are soft, silvery, bright metals that all naturally occur except for Promethium. They are also highly reactive and strong reducing agents. Rare earth elements which are useful for their metallurgical properties in alloy form are composed of the Lanthanide family plus Scandium and Yttrium. They also have high melting points and boiling points."
"Actinide","Actinides","The Actinides consist of the elements in the f-block in Period 7 of the Periodic Table. All the elements of the Actinides family are radioactive and most are synthetic, that is, human-made. All have a silvery or silvery-white luster in metallic form, and are soft, ductile, and paramagnetic."