Question

Name the first and the last elements of period 2 of the periodic table.

Answer 1

Step-1: Introduction

The elements in periodic table are placed in periods and groups. Periods are horizontal rows that has increasing atomic numbers. Groups are vertical columns. The groups have similar chemical properties. There are 7 periods and 18 groups in periodic table.

Step-2: Period 2 elements

Period 2 elements include Beryllium ($\mathrm{Be}$), Carbon ($\mathrm{C}$), Nitrogen ($\mathrm{N}$), Boron ($\mathrm{B}$), Lithium ($\mathrm{Li}$), Fluorine ($\mathrm{F}$), Oxygen ($\mathrm{O}$) and Neon ($\mathrm{Ne}$).So, this period have eight elements. The first element is Lithium while the last element is Neon in period 2.

Only K-shell and L-shell electrons are filled by the elements in period 2. This is also called a short period.

Thus, the first and the last elements of period 2 of the periodic table are Lithium and Neon.