Mr C's Science

Periodic Table Battleship

Electron-Configuration Edition

Game Setup

Opponent

Play the computer: fire and it referees hits, then fires back. Switch to 2 Players and each of you sets up a fleet on your own screen, then plays a partner out loud — you mark your own hits and misses.

How you fire

Click the element you want to fire at. Each shot names the element and shows its configuration (toggle full / noble-gas during play).

Board

Off = just the main table (like the classic activity). On = adds the two f-block rows as playable water.

Your fleet

Choose how many ships of each length. Each ship covers that many elements in a straight line (across a period or down a group).

How to play (classroom rules)
  1. Each player hides ships on their periodic table (horizontally or vertically).
  2. To fire, name an element by its electron configuration — full (1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p²) or noble-gas ([Ne]3s²3p²).
  3. The game names the element you targeted and reports a hit ✕ or a miss ◯.
  4. Players alternate. Sink your opponent's whole fleet to win.
  5. Tip: start with full configurations, then switch to noble-gas notation halfway through.

Place your fleet

Pick a ship, press R or the Rotate button to turn it, then click a tile to drop it. Ships must sit on real elements in a straight line.
s-block p-block d-block f-block your ships (each a different color)

2-Player Battleship

Each player uses their own screen. You've hidden your fleet — now play a partner out loud: to fire, say the electron configuration of the element you're targeting (full or noble-gas). Your partner names it and tells you hit or miss. Record it on your tracking board. First to sink the other's whole fleet wins!

Tracking board: click a tile to cycle blank → ✕ hit → ◯ miss

Your tracking board — record your shots

hit miss

Your fleet — click a tile when your partner hits it

your ships tiles your partner has hit

Pass the device

Show config as:
Take your shot.

Opponent's table — fire here

Your fleet

hit miss your ships (each a different color) Use the toggle above to reveal each hit's config in full or noble-gas form.

Game over

Mr C's Science · Periodic Table Battleship · electron configurations follow the aufbau order with the standard textbook exceptions.