The Essence of Materials for Engineers

Chapter 2

The Peiodic Table of Elements: The Key to Understanding Atomic Bonding and Types of Materials

Learning Objectives

After careful study of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

1.  Describe the more accurate wave-mechanical versus the simpler, but often useful, planetary model of the atom.

2.  Generate the electron configuration for any element and, based on the particular configuration, explain general chemical behavior and the basis for the ultimate stability of the noble gases.

3.  a.  Explain the basis for the periodicity of properties of the elements as a function of increasing atomic number and describe the property similarities and trends found in vertical groups and horizontal periods of the standard periodic ...