Hydrogen occupies a unique position in the Modern Periodic Table”. Justify the statement.
The position of the element hydrogen is still not clear even in the Modern Periodic Table. In electronic configuration, it resembles alkali metals of group 1. All of them have only one electron in the valence shell. Actually, hydrogen has only one shell (K-shell) which has one electron. In characteristics, it resembles halogens of group 17. For example, like halogens hydrogen is a non-metal and diatomic as well. It has been therefore, decided to assign hydrogen a unique position in the Modern or Long Form Periodic Table. It is placed at the top in group 1 of alkali metals. However, it is not a member of that group.
