How many families are in the periodic table?

There are 18 families, also known as groups, in the periodic table.

The periodic table organizes elements based on their chemical properties, and elements within the same family exhibit similar behaviors due to having the same number of valence electrons (electrons in the outermost shell). This shared number of valence electrons dictates how an element interacts with other elements, leading to similar chemical reactions. Each vertical column on the periodic table represents one family or group.

Here's a list of the common families/groups found in the periodic table:

1. Alkali Metals (Group 1)
2. Alkaline Earth Metals (Group 2)
3. Transition Metals (Groups 3-12)
4. Boron Group (Group 13)
5. Carbon Group (Group 14)
6. Nitrogen Group (Group 15)
7. Chalcogens (Group 16)
8. Halogens (Group 17)
9. Noble Gases (Group 18)
10. Lanthanides
11. Actinides

While lanthanides and actinides are sometimes considered as distinct series rather than families, the primary and fundamental organization of the periodic table involves 18 vertical groups, hence 18 families.