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Exercise · Q2

Q.In the long form of the periodic table, how many periods and how many groups are there, and what determines an element's period number?

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✓ Free question

Step 1. The long form of the periodic table has 7 horizontal rows, called periods, numbered 1 to 7.

Step 2. It has 18 vertical columns, called groups, numbered 1 to 18 under the current IUPAC convention.

Step 3. An element's period number is fixed by the highest principal quantum number (nn) of any shell its electrons occupy — e.g. sodium (1s2 2s2 2p6 3s11s^2\,2s^2\,2p^6\,3s^1) uses shells up to n=3n=3, so it is in Period 3.

✓Final answer

7 periods and 18 groups; the period number equals the highest principal quantum number (nn) an element's electrons occupy.

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