The periodic table is arranged by various patterns. Describe the pattern regarding charges of ions formed across a row? In three to five sentences, explain your reasoning and provide specific examples.

Answer 1

The periodic table is organized into rows called periods, where the elements exhibit a pattern in the charges of the ions they typically form. Moving from left to right across a period, elements tend to lose electrons and exhibit positive oxidation states, becoming cations, particularly for metals at the beginning of the row. As we progress towards the right, nonmetals gain electrons to achieve a full valence shell, leading to negative oxidation states, forming anions.

For instance, in period 2, lithium (Li) forms a +1 ion, while fluorine (F) typically forms a -1 ion. This trend continues in subsequent periods—sodium (Na) forms +1 and chlorine (Cl) forms -1, while potassium (K) forms +1 and bromine (Br) tends to form -1. The elements in the center (transition metals) can exhibit a wider range of positive charges due to their ability to lose different numbers of d-electrons.