Final answer:
The least chemically reactive elements in the periodic table are the noble gases in Group 18, with filled outer electron subshells leading to high ionization energies. Iodine, an inert metal, is also minimally reactive.
Step-by-step explanation:
The area of the periodic table that undergoes the least chemical reactions is the area containing the noble gases, such as helium, neon, argon, etc. These elements are found in Group 18 (Group VIII) and are characterized by their filled outer electron subshells, which makes them extremely stable. The full outer subshell means that these elements have high ionization energies, thus they do not readily give or accept electrons, making them the least reactive.
On the other hand, the inert metals, found at the bottom of the activity series, also exhibit low reactivity due to their minimal tendency to be oxidized. For example, iodine is the least reactive of the halogens, often requiring heat to react with metals and not readily oxidizing other halide ions.
The area of the periodic table that undergoes the least chemical reactions is the noble gases, which are located in Group 18 (Group VIII). The noble gases, including helium, neon, and argon, have filled outer subshells that are particularly stable. This stability makes them unreactive and gives them large ionization energies, meaning they do not readily give up an electron. Noble gases can only be forced into unstable chemical compounds under high pressure and temperature.