Reading the periodic table
Grade 8 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.
a nucleus with 9 protons (marked +) and 10 neutrons (no mark). Ari's atom drawing (not to scale) shows 9 protons and 10 neutrons. Which element matches it?
- Neon, element 10, from the neutrons
- Fluorine, element 9
- Potassium, element 19, from the mass number
- You need the electrons to tell
“Particle drawing of an atom, not to scale:” Esme's atom drawing (not to scale) shows 11 protons and 12 neutrons. Which element matches it?
- Vanadium, element 23, from the mass number
- Sodium, element 11
- Magnesium, element 12, from the neutrons
- Neon, element 10
Helium is a gas that hardly ever reacts. Which element is most likely to be like it, Kira?
- Beryllium
- Hydrogen, also in period 1
- Neon, in the same group
- Lithium, the next element
Chlorine and bromine behave alike. Which element should also behave like them, Luz?
- Sulfur, next to chlorine in period 3
- Iodine, in the same group
- Gold
- Iron, also in period 4
Milo says the table is in order of mass. Using the tellurium and iodine tiles, agree or disagree?
Element tile for tellurium: atomic number 52 at the top, symbol Te in the middle, name tellurium, average atomic mass 127.6 at the bottom. Element tile for iodine: atomic number 53 at the top, symbol I in the middle, name iodine, average atomic mass 126.9 at the bottom. Element tile for tellurium: atomic number 52 at the top, symbol Te in the middle, name tellurium, average atomic mass 127.6 at the bottom. Element tile for iodine: atomic number 53 at the top, symbol I in the middle, name iodine, average atomic mass 126.9 at the bottom. 52 Te tellurium 127.6 53 I iodine 126.9 - Agree: 127.6 comes after 126.9
- Disagree: tellurium is heavier yet comes first
- Disagree: the order is alphabetical
- Agree: heavier ones come later
Using the cobalt and nickel tiles, why does cobalt come first, Noah?
Element tile for cobalt: atomic number 27 at the top, symbol Co in the middle, name cobalt, average atomic mass 58.9 at the bottom. Element tile for nickel: atomic number 28 at the top, symbol Ni in the middle, name nickel, average atomic mass 58.7 at the bottom. Element tile for cobalt: atomic number 27 at the top, symbol Co in the middle, name cobalt, average atomic mass 58.9 at the bottom. Element tile for nickel: atomic number 28 at the top, symbol Ni in the middle, name nickel, average atomic mass 58.7 at the bottom. cobalt nickel atomic number 27 28 symbol Co Ni name cobalt nickel average atomic mass 58.9 58.7 - It sits in an earlier period
- It has a higher atomic number
- It has less mass
- It has fewer protons
If the table were ordered by mass, what would happen to tellurium and iodine, Pia?
Element tile for tellurium: atomic number 52 at the top, symbol Te in the middle, name tellurium, average atomic mass 127.6 at the bottom. Element tile for iodine: atomic number 53 at the top, symbol I in the middle, name iodine, average atomic mass 126.9 at the bottom. Element tile for tellurium: atomic number 52 at the top, symbol Te in the middle, name tellurium, average atomic mass 127.6 at the bottom. Element tile for iodine: atomic number 53 at the top, symbol I in the middle, name iodine, average atomic mass 126.9 at the bottom. 52 Te tellurium 127.6 53 I iodine 126.9 - Nothing; that is the order now
- They would swap places
- Both would move to period 1
- Tellurium would come first, as now
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.
Ren says the elements to the right of the staircase are metals. Agree or disagree?
- Agree: they are shiny
- Disagree: they are nonmetals
- Agree: the right side is the metal side
- Disagree: they are metalloids
Mercury is a liquid at room temperature and sits left of the staircase. What is it, Tala?
- A nonmetal, since it is a liquid
- A nonmetal, since metals are on the right
- A metal
- A metalloid
Aluminum sits just left of the staircase. Zee must classify it. Which is right?
- Metal
- Nonmetal: metals are on the right
- Nonmetal: it is light
- Metalloid: it is on the staircase