The periodic table.The periodic table is the arrangement of chemical elements and is one of the most important references for anyone involved in chemistry. The elements of the periodic table are organized according to their atomic number and their electronic configuration. The atomic number is listed next to the element's chemical symbol in the upper left corner. The atomic number can also be known as the proton number of an element. The electronic configuration of an atom is the representation of the arrangement of electrons distributed between the orbital shells and subshells - http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Inorganic_Chemistry/Electronic_ConfigurationsThere are two types of bonding in atoms, one is ionic and the other is covalent. Ionic bonding occurs when a positive ion and a negative ion are attracted and join together, thus forming an ionic compound. Sodium chloride is an example of an ionic compound. Covalent bonding occurs when two nonmetallic atoms combine. This also means that they share electrons to achieve a stable electronic structure. The periodic table has developed and changed throughout history as scientists have continued to discover new things. The different elements are assembled in different groups. I'll start with the alkali metals, these are all the elements in the first column and the column is marked yellow. The first column is also called Group 1, next to it there is another column in light blue. This is Group 2 and is made up of Earth Metals. The next group is Group 3, this is the section of the periodic table that is sort of dark blue. This particular group is made up of transition metals and is the largest of the groups. The next group is highlighted in a light, pale yellow, these are the halogens. Finally, let's move on to the Nobel Gases. These are in the section of the table that is a peachy orange