this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Why is the periodic table split into 3 parts; everything else, lactinides, and actinides? (self.askchemistry)
submitted 1 year ago by TheSmartDude to c/askchemistry
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Why can't it just be 1 table, with the lactinides and actinides following the same rules as the others?(Group number=Number of valence electrons and Period humber=Number of shells)

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[โ€“] TheSmartDude 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But why are lactanides and actinides separated?

[โ€“] Starbuck 1 points 1 year ago

For compactness. The valence shells start getting sub-shells starting there, so realistically the actinides and lactinides groups should literally be inserted in the middle, with nothing above them. Similar how there is nothing above Scandium. There would just be a huge section where there are only those two groups.