Periodic table of elements Trivia
Periodic table of elements trivia explores the chart that organizes all known chemical elements by their properties and atomic structure. A cornerstone of chemistry and a familiar tool across the sciences, the periodic table has shaped how scientists understand matter, predict behavior, and classify discoveries.
Easy Periodic table of elements Trivia
13 questions
These easy Periodic table of elements trivia questions are great for beginners and kids around age 12 and under.
Question 1
What are the horizontal rows on the periodic table called?
Answer: They are called periods.
The periodic table is arranged in horizontal rows called periods.
Question 2
What name is given to the vertical columns on the periodic table?
Answer: They are called groups.
The periodic table is arranged in vertical columns called groups.
Question 3
Which element comes first on the periodic table?
Answer: Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the first element on the periodic table.
Question 4
What is the chemical symbol for helium?
Answer: He
Helium has the chemical symbol He.
Question 5
What is the atomic number of oxygen?
Answer: 8
Oxygen has atomic number 8.
Question 6
Which one-letter symbol belongs to carbon?
Answer: C
Carbon has the chemical symbol C.
Question 7
What is the chemical symbol for gold?
Answer: Au
Gold has the chemical symbol Au.
Question 8
Which symbol stands for silver?
Answer: Ag
Silver has the chemical symbol Ag.
Question 9
What is the chemical symbol for iron?
Answer: Fe
Iron has the chemical symbol Fe.
Question 10
Hg is the symbol for which element?
Answer: Mercury
Mercury is the element with the symbol Hg.
Question 11
What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
Answer: Na
Sodium has the chemical symbol Na.
Question 12
Which chemical symbol belongs to potassium?
Answer: K
Potassium has the chemical symbol K.
Question 13
What is the symbol for lead?
Answer: Pb
The symbol for lead is Pb.
Periodic table of elements Family Trivia
12 questions
These family Periodic table of elements trivia questions are built for mixed-age game nights, classrooms, and groups.
Question 1
How many groups are in the modern periodic table?
- A.20
- B.18
- C.16
- D.17
Answer: 18
The modern periodic table has 18 groups.
Question 2
How many periods run across the modern periodic table?
- A.7
- B.6
- C.8
- D.9
Answer: 7
The modern periodic table has 7 periods.
Question 3
As currently confirmed, how many elements are included on the periodic table?
- A.120
- B.118
- C.108
- D.116
Answer: 118
The periodic table currently includes 118 confirmed elements.
Question 4
In what year did Dmitri Mendeleev publish his influential periodic table?
- A.1869
- B.1859
- C.1879
- D.1896
Answer: 1869
Dmitri Mendeleev published an influential periodic table in 1869.
Question 5
If two elements are in the same group, what do they usually have in common?
- A.The same atomic number
- B.The same symbol
- C.The same mass
- D.Similar chemical behavior
Answer: They usually have similar chemical behavior.
Elements in the same group usually have similar chemical behavior.
Question 6
Atomic number tells you the number of what in an atom's nucleus?
- A.Electrons
- B.Molecules
- C.Protons
- D.Neutrons
Answer: Protons
Atomic number equals the number of protons in an atom's nucleus.
Question 7
The periodic table is arranged in order of increasing what?
- A.Atomic mass
- B.Color
- C.State of matter
- D.Atomic number
Answer: Atomic number
The periodic table is ordered by increasing atomic number.
Question 8
Which family sits in the far-right group of the periodic table?
- A.Lanthanides
- B.Noble gases
- C.Halogens
- D.Alkali metals
Answer: Noble gases
The far-right group of the table contains the noble gases.
Question 9
Group 1 elements are called what, with one exception for hydrogen?
- A.Halogens
- B.Noble gases
- C.Actinides
- D.Alkali metals
Answer: Alkali metals
Group 1 elements are called alkali metals, except hydrogen.
Question 10
What name is given to the elements in Group 17?
- A.Halogens
- B.Noble gases
- C.Alkali metals
- D.Lanthanides
Answer: Halogens
Group 17 elements are called halogens.
Question 11
Most elements on the periodic table are what kind of substance?
- A.Liquids
- B.Gases
- C.Metals
- D.Nonmetals
Answer: Metals
Most elements on the periodic table are metals.
Question 12
Those two rows often shown below the main table belong to which two series?
- A.Metals and nonmetals
- B.Protons and neutrons
- C.Lanthanides and actinides
- D.Halogens and noble gases
Answer: The lanthanides and actinides
The two rows often shown below the main table are the lanthanides and actinides.
Fun Periodic table of elements Trivia
13 questions
These fun Periodic table of elements trivia questions highlight surprising moments and playful facts for game-night groups.
Question 1
Which letter is totally missing from every current element symbol, as if the periodic table ghosted it?
Answer: J
No current element symbol contains the letter J.
Question 2
If you played Scrabble with element symbols, which letter would never show up because no current symbol uses it?
Answer: Q
The letter Q does not appear in any current element symbol.
Question 3
The four newest named elements all got their official approval in what year?
Answer: 2016
The four newest named elements were officially approved in 2016.
Question 4
Which element currently sits at the heavyweight end of the named periodic table?
- A.Moscovium
- B.Oganesson
- C.Tennessine
- D.Livermorium
Answer: Oganesson
Oganesson is the heaviest element currently named on the table.
Question 5
Mendelevium gives a giant nod to which scientist?
Answer: Dmitri Mendeleev
Mendelevium is named after Dmitri Mendeleev.
Question 6
Which famous physicist has an element named after him in einsteinium?
Answer: Albert Einstein
Einsteinium is named after Albert Einstein.
Question 7
Curium honors a science power couple. Which person is one of the two namesakes?
Answer: Pierre Curie
Curium is named after Marie and Pierre Curie; Pierre Curie is one of the namesakes.
Question 8
Seaborgium sounds like a sci-fi harbor, but itâs actually named for which scientist?
Answer: Glenn T. Seaborg
Seaborgium is named after Glenn T. Seaborg.
Question 9
Americium wears its name on its sleeve. It was named after what region?
Answer: the Americas
Americium is named after the Americas.
Question 10
Which continent lends its name to europium?
Answer: Europe
Europium is named after Europe.
Question 11
Californium is named after which U.S. state?
Answer: California
Californium is named after California.
Question 12
Dubnium takes its name from which Russian place?
Answer: Dubna
Dubnium is named after Dubna in Russia.
Question 13
Nihonium points to which country, using its Japanese name 'Nihon'?
Answer: Japan
Nihonium is named after Japan, using the Japanese name Nihon.
Funny Periodic table of elements Trivia
13 questions
These funny Periodic table of elements trivia questions highlight playful moments, odd facts, and inside jokes.
Question 1
Before element 111 got a less tongue-twisty identity, what temporary systematic name did it wear like an oversized nametag?
Answer: Unununium
Element 111 was once temporarily called Unununium.
Question 2
Which temporary name belonged to element 112 back when official naming was apparently taking the scenic route?
- A.Unununium
- B.Ununquadium
- C.Ununhexium
- D.Ununbium
Answer: Ununbium
Ununbium was the temporary systematic name used for element 112.
Question 3
Element 113 once answered to which gloriously repetitive temporary name?
Answer: Ununtrium
The temporary systematic name for element 113 was Ununtrium.
Question 4
If element 114 were introducing itself at a party before its final naming, what temporary name would be on the badge?
- A.Ununquadium
- B.Ununtrium
- C.Ununhexium
- D.Ununoctium
Answer: Ununquadium
Element 114 was temporarily called Ununquadium.
Question 5
Which temporary systematic name was once assigned to element 115?
Answer: Ununpentium
Ununpentium was the temporary name once used for element 115.
Question 6
Element 116 briefly had a name that sounds like a spell from a chemistry wizard. What was it?
- A.Ununoctium
- B.Ununhexium
- C.Ununbium
- D.Ununpentium
Answer: Ununhexium
The temporary systematic name for element 116 was Ununhexium.
Question 7
Which mouthful of a temporary name belonged to element 117?
Answer: Ununseptium
Element 117 was once temporarily called Ununseptium.
Question 8
What temporary systematic name did element 118 use before chemistry finally let it stop sounding like a robot password?
- A.Ununquadium
- B.Ununseptium
- C.Ununoctium
- D.Ununbium
Answer: Ununoctium
Ununoctium was the temporary name once used for element 118.
Question 9
True or false: Molybdenum is one of those element names many people misspell on the first try.?
Answer: True
The fact given is that Molybdenum is an element name many people misspell on the first try.
Question 10
Which real element name sounds like it was assembled from bonus syllables and has 12 letters?
- A.Molybdenum
- B.Ununtrium
- C.Tungsten
- D.Praseodymium
Answer: Praseodymium
Praseodymium is a real element name, and it has 12 letters.
Question 11
Which pair of elements once stood in the middle of a naming dispute, proving even the periodic table can have drama?
Answer: Rutherfordium and dubnium
Rutherfordium and dubnium were once at the center of a naming dispute.
Question 12
What nickname was given to the naming conflict over several heavy elements?
Answer: Transfermium Wars
The naming conflict over several heavy elements was nicknamed the Transfermium Wars.
Question 13
Tungsten refused to be boring: what is its symbol, if not T?
- A.Tu
- B.W
- C.T
- D.Tw
Answer: W
The symbol for tungsten is W, not T.
Hard Periodic table of elements Trivia
14 questions
These hard Periodic table of elements trivia questions are for expert fans who want a real challenge.
Question 1
In what year did Henry Moseley establish that the elements are properly ordered by atomic number rather than atomic mass?
Answer: 1913
Moseley's 1913 work showed that atomic number is the correct basis for ordering the elements.
Question 2
True or false: Moseleyâs 1913 result supported arranging elements by atomic mass as the primary rule.?
Answer: False
His result showed the opposite: atomic number, not atomic mass, properly orders the elements.
Question 3
The modern periodic law tracks recurring properties as what quantity increases?
Answer: Atomic number
The modern periodic law is based on recurring properties is atomic number increases.
Question 4
What numerical span is usually assigned to the lanthanide series?
- A.Elements 58 through 72
- B.Elements 89 through 103
- C.57 through 71
- D.Elements 56 through 70
Answer: Elements 57 through 71
The lanthanide series is usually taken is elements 57 through 71.
Question 5
Which run of atomic numbers is usually used for the actinide series?
- A.Elements 88 through 102
- B.89 through 103
- C.Elements 57 through 71
- D.Elements 90 through 104
Answer: Elements 89 through 103
The actinides are usually taken is elements 89 through 103.
Question 6
Name the four standard blocks into which the periodic table is commonly divided.?
Answer: s, p, d, and f blocks
A common division of the periodic table is into the s, p, d, and f blocks.
Question 7
If someone says the tableâs architecture is broken into four lettered regions, which set is correct?
- A.x, y, z, and w blocks
- B.a, p, d, and f blocks
- C.s, p, d, and f blocks
- D.s, p, d, and g blocks
Answer: s, p, d, and f blocks
The common block division is s, p, d, and f.
Question 8
Which block occupies the first two groups of the periodic table, with helium included there by electron configuration?
- A.s-block
- B.The p-block
- C.The d-block
- D.The f-block
Answer: The s-block
The s-block includes the first two groups plus helium by electron configuration.
Question 9
Playful but precise: helium crashes a block party it doesnât visually live in. By electron configuration, which block claims it?
- A.The noble-gas block
- B.The d-block
- C.s-block
- D.The p-block
Answer: The s-block
Although helium is placed with noble gases, by electron configuration it belongs to the s-block.
Question 10
In the standard layout, the d-block covers which group range?
Answer: Groups 3 through 12
The d-block spans Groups 3 through 12 in the standard layout.
Question 11
Which tactic did Mendeleev use in his table so he could account for elements not yet discovered?
Answer: He left gaps in the table.
Mendeleev intentionally left gaps to predict undiscovered elements.
Question 12
What was later discovered under Mendeleevâs predicted name eka-silicon?
Answer: Germanium
Mendeleev's predicted eka-silicon was later identified is germanium.
Question 13
Which discovered element fulfilled Mendeleevâs prediction for eka-boron?
Answer: Scandium
Eka-boron was later discovered is scandium.
Question 14
Carbonâs column on the modern table carries what group number?
Answer: Group 14
The group containing carbon is Group 14.
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