Final answer:
Elements with similar characteristics are grouped in the periodic table in columns known as groups or families, like alkali metals (Group 1) and noble gases (Group 18).
Step-by-step explanation:
The elements that have similar characteristics are found in columns also known as groups or families. Elements within the same group share similar chemical properties because they have the same number of valence electrons. Notable examples of these groups include the alkali metals (Group 1), the alkaline earth metals (Group 2), the halogens (Group 17), and the noble gases (Group 18). The periodic table arranges these groups in vertical columns numbered 1 to 18, with the alkali metals starting on the far left and the noble gases on the far right.