Periodic Table Groups

Why do whole columns of the periodic table tend to behave alike? These quizzes group the elements into families, from the explosive alkali metals to the calm, barely reactive noble gases.

Element Families on the Periodic Table

Each quiz takes on one group. You will study the Group 1 alkali metals and just how violently they react with water, the Group 2 alkaline earth metals next door, the halogens that bond eagerly with other elements, and the noble gases in Group 18 that mostly keep to themselves. Along the way you will name elements like sodium and potassium among the alkali metals and place symbols such as Kr for krypton among the noble gases. Questions mix fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and true or false.

These sets are aimed at beginner to intermediate learners who are finding their way around the periodic table. Learning the elements by family makes their behavior far easier to predict than memorizing them one by one.

Did You Know?

Potassium's symbol is K, not P, because the element was once called kalium. A few elements keep these older names in their symbols, which is why they can look so unexpected.

The noble gases earned their name from how aloof they are. They barely react with anything, almost as if they are too dignified to bother, though one of them, radon, happens to be radioactive.

How the Quizzes Work

Every quiz runs about five minutes, and replaying a family or two is the easiest way to keep the groups straight in your head. Studying one group at a time builds a map of the table that actually sticks. If the periodic table has ever looked like a wall of random boxes, grouping it this way is what makes it click. Ready to see the patterns for yourself? Jump into the free interactive chemistry quizzes and start with a group that interests you.

1. Alkali Metals

This chemistry quiz runs through 12 questions on the alkali metals, the reactive elements in Group 1 of the periodic table. You will handle a mix of fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and true-or-false, with prompts like "What is the element symbol of sodium?" and "Which alkali metal is the lightest?" Recommended for intermediate students brushing up on the periodic table. A neat fact from the questions explains a common puzzle: potassium's symbol is K because the element was originally called kalium. You will also see just how strongly these metals react with plain water.

score: 59% (everyone)

12 questions

2. Alkaline Earth Metals

Here are 12 questions on the alkaline earth metals, the Group 2 elements that sit right next to the alkali metals. The quiz blends fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, and true-or-false, asking things like "The atomic number of ___ is 20" and "What is the color of magnesium?" Recommended for intermediate students who already know their way around the periodic table. One fact that tends to stick: magnesium takes its name from Magnesia, an ancient region in Greece. You will also discover which of these metals Pierre Curie helped discover and how their reactivity compares with the alkali metals.

score: 88% (everyone)

12 questions

7. Halogens

This 12-question quiz introduces the halogens, the reactive group of nonmetals found in the periodic table. You will work through fill-in-the-blank and true or false items, with questions like What is the heaviest halogen? and What halogen is used in bleaching and disinfectant? A connection to everyday health turns up here too: a shortage of iodine, one of the halogens, is what leads to the swelling condition known as goiter. You will also compare how reactive the different members of the group are, and learn what compounds they form together. Recommended level: intermediate.

score: 80% (everyone)

12 questions

11. Noble Gases

This quiz introduces the rare gases, also called the noble gases, across 12 questions. You will work through items like Which gas is used to inflate balloons? and Kr is the element symbol of ___., plus a handful of true or false statements. One fact worth holding onto is that these gases sit together in Group 18 of the periodic table and barely react with anything, which is why they earned the "noble" label. One of them, though, is actually radioactive. Recommended level: beginner to intermediate.

score: 82% (everyone)

12 questions