Question

Based on the information in the table, which two elements are most likely in the same group, and why?

A table with 5 columns and 5 rows labeled facts about 4 elements. The first column labeled element has entries bismuth (B i), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), sodium (N a), thallium (T l). The second column labeled atomic mass (a m u) has entries 209, 14, 16, 23, 204. The third column labeled total electrons has entries 83, 7, 8, 11, 81. The fourth column labeled valence electrons has entries 5, 5, 6, 1, 3. The fifth column labeled year isolated has entries 1753, 1772, 1772, 1807, 1861.

bismuth and thallium, because their atomic masses are very similar
nitrogen and oxygen, because they were both first isolated in the same year
sodium and thallium, because their names both end in the same suffix: -ium
bismuth and nitrogen, because they have the same number of valence electrons

Answer 1

Bismuth and nitrogen, because they both have 5 valence electrons. Elements in the same group have the same number of valence electrons (so similar chemical behavior), whereas atomic mass, year isolated, or the suffix “-ium” do not determine group.