The chemistry of the elements is the study of the 118 identified chemical substances that make up all matter in the universe. These elements are organized in the Periodic Table based on their atomic number, electron configurations, and recurring chemical properties. Licensed by Google The Architecture of Elements

: The size of an atom generally increases as you move down a group and decreases as you move left to right across a period.

Elements are categorized into groups (columns) and periods (rows) that share similar characteristics:

The "chemistry" happens when elements interact to form compounds. This occurs through three primary types of bonds: