Final answer:
The periodic table has seven horizontal rows called periods. Each period represents a different energy level of the electron shells. The first period has 2 elements (hydrogen and helium) and the subsequent periods each have 8 elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The periodic table has seven horizontal rows called periods. The elements are arranged in these periods based on their atomic number and electron configurations. Each period represents a different energy level of the electron shells. The first period has 2 elements (hydrogen and helium) and the subsequent periods each have 8 elements. In total, there are 7 periods on the periodic table.