In this chapter, you will be introduced to the four blocks of the periodic table. You will learn that placement in a block is based on the type of sublevel occupied by the highest-energy electron of an atom. Properties of the different blocks will be described along with an explanation of their electron configurations. Finally, you will learn about the unique properties of hydrogen.

In this chapter, you will learn: to describe alkali metals and alkaline earth metals to give examples of the uses of transition metals to describe the characteristics of the lanthanides and the actinides to describe trends in the behavior of the elements as you proceed from Group 3A to Group 8A in the periodic table to describe some of the properties of hydrogen