Reading the periodic table
Grade 8 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
An atom has 12 protons. Using the two tiles, which element is it, Ari?
- Magnesium, with atomic number 12
- Carbon, with mass about 12.0
- Either one; the numbers match
- Neither one
An atom has 4 protons. Using the two tiles, which element is it, Esme?
Element tile for helium: atomic number 2 at the top, symbol He in the middle, name helium, average atomic mass 4.0 at the bottom. Element tile for beryllium: atomic number 4 at the top, symbol Be in the middle, name beryllium, average atomic mass 9.0 at the bottom. Element tile for helium: atomic number 2 at the top, symbol He in the middle, name helium, average atomic mass 4.0 at the bottom. Element tile for beryllium: atomic number 4 at the top, symbol Be in the middle, name beryllium, average atomic mass 9.0 at the bottom. helium 2 He helium 4.0 beryllium 4 Be beryllium 9.0 - Helium, with mass about 4.0
- Either one; the numbers match
- Neither one
- Beryllium, with atomic number 4
Using the strip, which element should behave most like sodium, Jun?
Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Li (atomic number 3) in column 1, row 2; Be (atomic number 4) in column 2, row 2; Na (atomic number 11) in column 1, row 3; Mg (atomic number 12) in column 2, row 3; Cl (atomic number 17) in column 17, row 3; K (atomic number 19) in column 1, row 4. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Li (atomic number 3) in column 1, row 2; Be (atomic number 4) in column 2, row 2; Na (atomic number 11) in column 1, row 3; Mg (atomic number 12) in column 2, row 3; Cl (atomic number 17) in column 17, row 3; K (atomic number 19) in column 1, row 4. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC) row 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 Li (atomic number 3) Be (atomic number 4) 3 Na (atomic number 11) Mg (atomic number 12) Cl (atomic number 17) 4 K (atomic number 19) 5 6 7 - Potassium, in the same group
- Chlorine, in period 3 too
- Beryllium
- Magnesium, next to it in period 3
Using the strip, which element should behave most like fluorine, Kira?
Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: O (atomic number 8) in column 16, row 2; F (atomic number 9) in column 17, row 2; Ne (atomic number 10) in column 18, row 2; Cl (atomic number 17) in column 17, row 3; S (atomic number 16) in column 16, row 3. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: O (atomic number 8) in column 16, row 2; F (atomic number 9) in column 17, row 2; Ne (atomic number 10) in column 18, row 2; Cl (atomic number 17) in column 17, row 3; S (atomic number 16) in column 16, row 3. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 column row O (atomic number 8) F (atomic number 9) Ne (atomic number 10) Cl (atomic number 17) S (atomic number 16) - Oxygen, in period 2 too
- Neon, next to it in period 2
- Chlorine, in the same group
- Sulfur
Using the strip, which element should behave most like magnesium, Luz?
Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Na (atomic number 11) in column 1, row 3; Mg (atomic number 12) in column 2, row 3; Al (atomic number 13) in column 13, row 3; Ca (atomic number 20) in column 2, row 4; K (atomic number 19) in column 1, row 4. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Na (atomic number 11) in column 1, row 3; Mg (atomic number 12) in column 2, row 3; Al (atomic number 13) in column 13, row 3; Ca (atomic number 20) in column 2, row 4; K (atomic number 19) in column 1, row 4. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 3 Na (atomic number 11) Mg (atomic number 12) Al (atomic number 13) 4 K (atomic number 19) Ca (atomic number 20) 5 6 7 - Sodium, in period 3 too
- Potassium
- Aluminum, next to it in period 3
- Calcium, in the same group
Read this first
Use this
Outline of the periodic table (IUPAC) with a thick staircase line from boron down to tellurium. Metals are shaded on the left and in the middle; nonmetals are unshaded on the right; the elements along the staircase (B, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Te) are dotted as metalloids. Hydrogen, at the top left, is unshaded.
Germanium sits on the staircase line. How should Milo classify it?
- Metalloid
- A gas
- Metal, since metals sit on the right
- Nonmetal, since it is not shiny
Copper sits in the middle of the table. How should Noah classify it?
- Noble gas
- Metal
- Nonmetal, since metals are on the right
- Metalloid
Bromine sits on the right, past the staircase. How should Pia classify it?
- Metal, since it is a liquid
- Nonmetal
- Metal, since it is on the right
- Metalloid
Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Ca (atomic number 20) in column 2, row 4; O (atomic number 8) in column 16, row 2; Fe (atomic number 26) in column 8, row 4. Part of the periodic table (IUPAC), with columns numbered 1 to 18 across the top and rows numbered 1 to 7 down the side. Shown: Ca (atomic number 20) in column 2, row 4; O (atomic number 8) in column 16, row 2; Fe (atomic number 26) in column 8, row 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 2 O (atomic number 8) 3 4 Ca (atomic number 20) Fe (atomic number 26) 5 6 7 Using the strip, which group is oxygen in, Tala?
- Group 16
- Group 2, its row
- Group 8, its atomic number
- Group 1
Using the strip, where is iron, Zee?
Use the picture in question 9.
- Period 26, group 4
- Period 8, group 4
- Period 4, group 26
- Period 4, group 8

