Periodic Table: Address Book for Atoms

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Atoms are like us. Even though we all are made up of flesh and bone, everyone is different and unique. Similarly, all atoms are made up of subatomic particles like proton, electron and neutron. These subatomic particles give identity to an atom and make is different to another. Every atom has different set of subatomic particles.

Like us atoms also have names and address. The atom which has 1electron and 1 proton is named as Hydrogen. And an atom which has 2electrons and 2 protons is named as Helium. As one kind of animals make a species, one type of atoms combine to make an element. There are total 118 different elements. These elements are present everywhere in the universe. You can find their details in their address book. This address book is called “Periodic Table”. Elements are arranged there according to their Identity number.

Elements have Identity number. As we have now in the form of “Adhar card” in India, and Social Security number in United States. Element is defined by their atoms, that’s why this identity number is given on the credentials of the atom. For an element, identity number is a set of atomic number and atomic mass. Atomic number is the number of electrons present in an atom and atomic mass is the mass of an atom.

In the periodic table elements are arranged in an increasing order of their atomic number. It is divided into columns and rows. It has 18 columns and 7 rows. Elements are arranged in such a way that similar type of elements gets the same column. Like in cities cantonment area is mostly populated by defence persons.

As there is a particular way of writing our full name like we write our name first than surname. An element’s name is written with its identity number. It is much like a signature because it contains symbol instead of full name. Let’s see. Symbol for Oxygen is ‘O’ its atomic number is 8 and atomic mass is 16.

Atomic number is written in left super script and atomic mass in left subscript to the symbol of the element. 

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