Question

“Hydrogen occupies a unique position in Modern Periodic Table”. Justify the statement?

Answer 1

Reasons explaining the unique position of Hydrogen in Modern Periodic Table:

• Hydrogen has an electron configuration of $1{\mathrm{s}}^1$, for which to become stable it can either accept to get helium configuration that is a stable configuration or it can even donate one electron.
• So it is very confusing to place either in the metal group while donating or in the non-metal group as it accepts an electron and which states the reason of why it occupies a unique position in the periodic table.
• The outer electron configuration of hydrogen and the alkali metals are also comparable as they both have one electron in their outermost shell.
• The electrical configurations of halogens and hydrogen are also the same, hence hydrogen’s properties are identical to those of halogens and hydrogen.

Thus, it was justified to say: "Hydrogen occupies a unique position in the modern periodic table".