block
Sign in to savea 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
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A block is a group of elements on the periodic table organized by the shape of the outermost electron's orbital around the nucleus. This organization matters because elements in the same block tend to have similar chemical properties and behavior, making it easier to predict how they'll react with other elements.
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Blocks s, f, d, and p in the periodic table
A block of the periodic table is a set of elements unified by the atomic orbitals their valence electrons or vacancies lie in. The term seems to have been first used by Charles Janet. Each block is named after its characteristic orbital: s-block, p-block, d-block, f-block and g-block.