The elements in any given column are chemically similar. Thus the first row, the Alkali Metals, contains a group of elements that all want to lose one electron to be more stable. They all contain only one electron in their outer electron shell. Lithium, the smallest of the group, has three electrons. Two are in the first electron shell (all that it can hold) and one is in the second shell. Lithium is used in computer and other advanced batteries since it likes to give up this lone electron. The flow of electrons through a substance is called electricity and electron donors like Lithium make great batteries.
On the other side of the table, in the second to last column, are the Halogens. These elements would like to gain an electron to fill their last electron shell as they are one electron short. Elements in the first column like to bond with elements in the second to last column so as to balance their electron shells. Such a compound is Salt or Sodium Chloride - NaCl. The extra electron in Sodium is shared with electron poor Chlorine to make Salt. The last column contains the Noble gases which do not form chemical bonds since their last electron shell is full and they are stable.
Most of the elements in the first 4 rows, or "periods", are found in living beings with very few above this functioning in physiological chemicals.
The exquisite design of the elements shows the handiwork of the designer. Although I have greatly simplified it here, the structure of the atom is very intricate with other sub-atomic particles, complex electron orbits, numerous isotopes and radioactive decay to name a few details. I believe Man has just scratched the surface of what God has placed inside.
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