The vertical columns on the periodic table are called Families. The families are divided by their properties and the elements with similar physical and chemical properties are present within the same families. All the elements within the group also share the same amount of valence electrons. There are a total of 9 groups , and some of them are the Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth Metals, Transition Metals, Halogens, and Noble Gasses 

What are Families on the Periodic Table?

The horizontal rows on the periodic table are known as Periods. The periods serve the purpose of helping identify the number of energy shells within an element. Energy shells are the orbitals that surround the nucleus of an element and hold the electrons. The number of electron shells increase as you go down the periodic table, and the period number increases

What are Periods on the Periodic Table

What is the Role of Protons?

The number of protons plays a significant role in the placement of elements on the periodic table. The elements are placed in order, by the atomic number, which is also the number of protons horizontally all throughout the periodic table.

Metals, Metalloids, and NonMetals

Metals all share the properties of being good conductors, lustrous, malleable, ductile, and dense, they are also placed on the left side and body of the periodic table. Metalloids all have the properties of being semi-conductors, dull, non-ductile, and brittle and can be found in the middle/staircase area of the periodic table. Nonmetals can be described as poor conductors, they have a relatively low melting point, boiling point, and density. They can be found on the right side of the periodic table with the xception of Hydrogen, which is found on the very left of the periodic table.

Role of Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the number of electrons that are found on the outermost energy shells in an element. The placement of elements on the periodic tableis affected by the number of valence electrons as all of the elements with the same amount of valence electrons can be found under the same family/group on the periodic table. This is because the amount of valence electrons is the main factor in reactivity, and that is a chemical property that all the elements in those groups/families share. The valence electrons are important in reactivity as you need a full last electron shell, and these elements try and combine/react to fill out that last/valence shell. The elements which are the closest to the full valence shell are the most "desperate" therefore the most reactive.

The Families On The Periodic Table

Lithium

Sodium

Rubidium

Potassium

Alkali Metals

Alkali metals are found in group one of the periodic table. They are very reactive elements and can be also described as shiny, soft, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity. They hold one valence electron, which is the main cause of its high reactivity as it is looking to "give away" that one electron to fill up another element's valence electron shell. It mainly reacts with the Halogens to create salts. Their high reactivity does not allow them to be found in nature because they are unstable. Lithium can be found in the batteries that we use every day, sodium can be found in table salt as sodium chloride, and hydrogen is often found in weather balloons. Some of the elements that are found in this family are lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and francium (Fr).

Beryllium 

Magnesium 

Strontium 

Calcium 

Alkaline Earth Metals

Alkaline earth metals are gound in the second group of the periodic table. They are silvery-white, somewhat reactive, shiny, and have a low density and boiling point. Elements in the Alkaline Earth Metal group hold two valence electrons, making them only somewhat reactive. Calcium is found in hard water, Radium is found in paints, and Magnesium can be found in medicine. The elements found in this family are beryllium (Be), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and radium (Ra)

Titanium 

Iron

Rhenium

Ruthenium

Transition Metals

The 3-12 groups on the periodic table are known as the Transition Metals. They can be described as semi-conductors, malleable, have high melting and boiling points, and vary in reactivity. Some of the real-world examples of these elements are cobalt in paint, copper for cooking-ware, and gold in jewelry. Some of the elements found in this group are silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), and titanium (Ti).

Boron

Aluminum

Indium 

Gallium

Boron Family

The boron family is found in the 13th group of the periodic table.  These elements have 3 valence electrons are similar as all of them but one is a metal, with the exception being Boron, which is a metalloid and a gas, meaning that they all share properties of metals to an extent. Some of the properties they share are a high boiling point, good conductivity,  malleability, and being fairly reactive. The real-life examples of these elements are Aluminum being found in electronics, gallium in liquid thermometers, and indium in solar panels. The elements within this boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), and thallium (Tl).

Carbon 

Silicon 

Tin 

Germanium 

Carbon Family

The Carbon Family is found on the 14th group of the periodic table and therefore has 4 valence electrons. The chemical and physical properties from this group vary because it consists of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids, the only consistent thing is that they are all somewhat reactive. The elements that are found in this group are carbon  (C), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), and flerovium (Fl).  The elements in this family can be found in everyday objects in the form of silicon within the concrete, germanium in some camera lenses, carbon in pencils, and lead in car batteries.