Block (periodic table)

a set of elements in the periodic table of elements, defined by shape of an orbital—s, p, d, or f—where the valence electron lies

A block on the periodic table is a group of elements that all have their electrons in the same atomic orbital. There are four blocks, s-, d-, f, and p-.[1] The word "block" was first used to describe this by Charles Janet.[2]

A long periodic table showing, from left to right: the s-, d-, f-, and p-blocks. They are named after the orbital.[1]
Group → 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
↓ Period
1 1
H

2
He
2 3
Li
4
Be

5
B
6
C
7
N
8
O
9
F
10
Ne
3 11
Na
12
Mg

13
Al
14
Si
15
P
16
S
17
Cl
18
Ar
4 19
K
20
Ca
21
Sc
22
Ti
23
V
24
Cr
25
Mn
26
Fe
27
Co
28
Ni
29
Cu
30
Zn
31
Ga
32
Ge
33
As
34
Se
35
Br
36
Kr
5 37
Rb
38
Sr
39
Y
40
Zr
41
Nb
42
Mo
43
Tc
44
Ru
45
Rh
46
Pd
47
Ag
48
Cd
49
In
50
Sn
51
Sb
52
Te
53
I
54
Xe
6 55
Cs
56
Ba
57
La
1 asterisk 72
Hf
73
Ta
74
W
75
Re
76
Os
77
Ir
78
Pt
79
Au
80
Hg
81
Tl
82
Pb
83
Bi
84
Po
85
At
86
Rn
7 87
Fr
88
Ra
89
Ac
1 asterisk 104
Rf
105
Db
106
Sg
107
Bh
108
Hs
109
Mt
110
Ds
111
Rg
112
Cn
113
Nh
114
Fl
115
Mc
116
Lv
117
Ts
118
Og
8 119
Uue
120
Ubn
121
Ubu

1 asterisk 58
Ce
59
Pr
60
Nd
61
Pm
62
Sm
63
Eu
64
Gd
65
Tb
66
Dy
67
Ho
68
Er
69
Tm
70
Yb
71
Lu
1 asterisk 90
Th
91
Pa
92
U
93
Np
94
Pu
95
Am
96
Cm
97
Bk
98
Cf
99
Es
100
Fm
101
Md
102
No
103
Lr
3 asterisks 122
Ubb
123
Ubt
124
Ubq
125
Ubp
126
Ubh
127
Ubs

Blocks

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p-block

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The p-block is on the right side of the periodic table. Elements from groups 13-18 are in the p-block.

d-block

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The d-block is in the middle of the periodic table. Elements from groups 3 to 12 are in the d-block.

f-block

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The f-block is shown in green in the illustration above. The elements 57 to 71 are called Lanthanides, elements 89 to 103 are called Actinides.

s-block

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The s-block is on the left side of the periodic table. Elements from groups 1-2 are in the s-block.

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 Jensen, William B. (21 March 2015). "The positions of lanthanum (actinium) and lutetium (lawrencium) in the periodic table: an update". Foundations of Chemistry. 17: 23–31. doi:10.1007/s10698-015-9216-1. S2CID 98624395.
  2. Charles Janet, La classification hélicoïdale des éléments chimiques, Beauvais, 1928