Final answer:
To determine the family of an element, refer to the group number in the periodic table since elements in the same group have similar chemical properties due to having the same number of valence electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the family of an element using the periodic table, you look at the column in which the element is located. The periodic table is organized into 18 numbered columns, known as groups. Elements in the same group share similar chemical properties and are considered to be in the same family. For example, all elements in group 1 are part of the alkali metal family, while those in group 17 are halogens. This is because they have the same number of valence electrons, which determines their chemical reactivity and bonding with other elements.
To find the family of an element using the periodic table, you need to look at the group number of the element. The group number tells you the number of valence electrons an element has, and elements with the same number of valence electrons are part of the same family. For example, all elements in Group 1 of the periodic table, such as hydrogen, lithium, and sodium, are part of the alkali metal family because they all have 1 valence electron.