Group Characteristics:

Every set of elements appearing within the vertical column of a periodic table is known as a Group and represents a family of elements which have same physical and chemical properties. The Group IA is the Alkali Family; Group VIA is the Oxygen Family; Group IIA is the Alkaline Earth Family; Group VIIA is the Halogen Family. At the left side of the table are Group IA elements (except hydrogen), that are soft metals which undergo same chemical reactions.  An element in Group IIA form same compounds and are much harder than their neighbors in Group IA.

As display in the previous section, there are a few exceptions to the generalizations concerning chemical properties and the periodic table. A most accurate observation is in which all elements inside a particular group have same physical and chemical properties.

That observation is most accurate at the extreme sides of the table. All components in Group 0 are unreactive gases and all elements in Group VIIA have same chemical properties, while there is a gradual modification in physical properties.  For instance, fluorine (F) is a gas thus iodine (I) is a solid at room temperature.

Groups along with a B designation (IB through VIIB) and Group VIII are known as transition groups. With this region of the table, exceptions start to appear. Inside any group in this region, the all elements are metals, other than their chemical properties might differ.  In few cases, an element might be more same to neighbors inside its period than it is to elements in its group. For instance, iron (Fe) is more same to cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) than it is to ruthenium (Ru) and osmium (Os).  Most of these components have various charges, and their ions within solution are colored (ions of all other components are colorless).

The line separating metals from nonmetals cuts across various groups.  With this region of the table, a rule of group similarities loses much of its usefulness.  By Group IVA, for instance, carbon (C) is a nonmetal; germanium (Ge) and silicon (Si) are semi-metals; and tin (Sn) and lead (Pb) are metals.

Chemical activity could also be determined from position within the periodic table.  Most active metals are the members of the Alkali Family, example for cesium (Cs) and francium (Fr).  Most active nonmetals are the members of the Halogen Family, Example for fluorine (F) and chlorine (Cl). The Noble Gases in Group 0 are inert. The activity of metals reduces while proceeding to the right within the periodic table; the activity of nonmetals reduces while proceeding to the left.