Question

What is the symbol of the element in Group 4 and Period 2?

Answer 1

Got a Periodic Table handy?

Explanation:

This is the element `"zirconium"`, `"Zr"`. You should not have to remember these symbols, because a Periodic Table should always be supplied. Save your memory for more important data.

Answer 2

It depends on what you mean by Group 4. See the explanation.

Explanation:

In an older nomenclature, we separately numbered the groups for the transition elements versus the "main groups" to their right and left, calling the latter groups "A" and the transition metal groups "B". In the first three periods there are only main-group or "A" elements, so "Group 4 Period 2" must be "Group 4A Period 2" and that would be carbon (C).

But in the newer nomenclature the groups (columns) are numbered straight across from 1 to 18. The transition metals are then Groups 3 through 12. Then Group 4 is the second transition metal group but the transition metals do not begin until Period 4! So technically no element is in Group 4 period 2. Zirconium, the second element in Group 4, is in period 5 not period 2; carbon, mentioned above, is now considered Group 14 instead of Group 4(A).

Papers and texts published today have gone over to the newer nomenclature, but sometimes we are using older literature. `color(blue)"Be aware of what nomenclature"` `color(blue)"is being used in your references"`.