Elements.wlonk

8/19/2019 Elements.wlonk

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The Elements — Quick Descriptions, Uses andOccurrences

Element Description

Physical

characteristics of

the element in its

pure form.

Use or Occurrence

How it is (or was) used or where it

is found.

(Click links to search for more

info.)

1 H Hydrogen explosive gas,lightest element

90% of atoms in the universe,

sun and stars, H2O, life's

organic molecules

2 He

Helium inert gas,

second-lightestelement

fuel for nuclear fusion in sun

and stars, balloons, lasers,supercold refrigerant

3 Li Lithium lightest metal,soft, reactive

lightweight aluminum alloys,

batteries, impact-resistant

ceramic cookware

(Corningware©), mood

stabilizer

4 BeBeryllium lightweight

metal

non-sparking copper alloy tools,

aerospace, X-ray windows,beryl gems: emeralds and

aquamarines

5 B Boron hard black solid borax soap, fertilizer, stifffibers, sports equipment (golf

clubs, tennis rackets, skis),

heat-resistant borosilicate glass

(Pyrex©), semiconductors

6 C Carbon hard diamond, basis of life's organic


2/9

soft graphite molecules, animals, plants, CO2,

wood, paper, cloth, plastic, coal,

oil

7 N Nitrogen colorless gas 78% of air, organic molecules,protein, muscles, DNA, ammonia,

fertilizer, explosives (TNT),

refrigerants

8 O Oxygen colorless gas 21% of air, H2O, 65% of thehuman body, organic molecules,

blood, breathing, fire, half of

earth's crust, minerals, oxides

9 F Flourine yellowish poisongas, most

reactive element

glowing fluorite, toothpaste,

nonstick cookware (Teflon©),

CFC refrigerants (Freon©)

10 Ne Neon inert gas orange-red neon tubes foradvertising signs, lasers,supercold refrigerant

11 Na Sodium(Natrium)

soft metal,

reactive

salt (NaCl), nerves, baking soda,

antacids, lye, soap, soda ash,

glass, papermaking, street lamps

12 Mg Magnesium lightweightmetal

chlorophyll in green plants, talc,

basalt, aluminum alloys, cars,

planes, bikes, flares, sparklers,antacids

13 Al Aluminum lightweight non-corroding metal

common metal, kitcheware, cans,

foil, machinery, cars, planes,

bikes, feldspar, granite, clay,

ceramics, corundum, gems

14 Si Silicon hard metalloid quartz, granite, sand, soil, clay,ceramics, glass, algae, diatoms,

semiconductors, computer chips,silicone rubber

15 P Phosphorus glowing whitewaxy solid (also

red and black

forms)

bones, DNA, energy-storing

phosphates (ATP), fertilizer,

acids, detergents, matches

16 S Sulfur brittle yellowsolid

skin, hair, egg yolks, onions,

garlic, skunks, hot springs,

volcanos, gypsum, rubber, acids,

papermaking

17 Cl Chlorine greenish poisongas

salt (NaCl), bleach, stomach

acid, disinfectant, drinking

water, swimming pools, PVC

plastic pipes and bottles

18 ArArgon inert gas 1% of air, most abundant inert

gas on earth, light bulbs, "neon"


3/9

tubes, lasers, welding gas19 K Potassium

(Kalium)

soft metal,

reactive

salts, nerves, nutrient in fruits

and vegetables, soap, fertilizer,

potash, matches, gunpowder

20 Ca Calcium soft metal bones, teeth, milk, leaves,vegetables, shells, coral,

limestone, chalk, gypsum,

plaster, mortar, cement, marble,

antacids

21 Sc Scandium soft lightweightmetal

aluminum alloys, racing bikes,

stadium lamps, furnace bricks,

aquamarines

22 Ti Titanium strongestlightweight

metal, heat-

resistant

aerospace, racing bikes,

artificial joints, white paint,

blue sapphires

23 V Vanadium hard metal hard strong resilient steel,structures, vehicles, springs,

driveshafts, tools, aerospace,

violet sapphires

24 Cr Chromium hard shiny metal stainless steel (Fe-Cr-Ni),kitchenware, nichrome heaters,

car trim, paints, recording tape,emeralds and rubies

25 Mn Manganese hard metal hard tough steel, earthmovers,rock crushers, rails, plows,

axes, batteries, fertilizer,

amethysts

26 Fe Iron(Ferrum)

medium-hard

metal, magnetic

steel alloys are mostly iron,

structures, vehicles, magnets,

earth's core, red rocks, blood

27 Co Cobalt hard metal,magnetic

hard strong steel, cutting tools,

turbines, magnets (Al-Ni-Co),

blue glass and ceramics, vitamin

B-12

28 Ni Nickel medium-hardmetal, magnetic

stainless steel (Fe-Cr-Ni),

kitchenware, nichrome heaters,

coins, nicad batteries, earth's

core

29 Cu Copper(Cuprum)

colored metal,

conducts heat

and electricity

well

wires, cookware, brass (Cu-Zn),

bronze (Cu-Sn), coins, pipes,

blue crab blood

30 Zn Zinc non-corrodingmetal

galvanized steel, brass (Cu-Zn),

batteries, white paint,

phosphors in TVs and lamps,

fertilizer


4/9

31 Ga Gallium soft metal, meltson a hot day

semiconductors, light-emitting

diodes (LEDs) (GaAs), signal

lights, tiny lasers32 Ge Germanium brittle metalloid semiconductors, transistors,

rectifiers, diodes, photocells,

lenses, infrared windows

33 AsArsenic brittle metalloid poisons, semiconductors, light-

emitting diodes (LEDs) (GaAs),

signal lights, tiny lasers

34 Se Selenium brittle graysolid

semiconductors, photocopiers,

laser printers, photocells, red

glass, dandruff shampoo, rubber

35 Br Bromine dark red liquid disinfectant, pools and spas,photo film, flame retardant,

leaded gas, sedatives

36 Kr Krypton inert gas high-intensity lamps, headlights,flashlights, lanterns, "neon"

tubes, lasers

37 Rb Rubidium soft metal,reactive

atomic clocks, global navigation

(GPS), vacuum tube scavenger

38 Sr Strontium soft metal red fireworks, flares,phosphors, nuclear batteries,

medical diagnostic tracer,nuclear fallout

39 Y Yttrium soft metal phosphors in color TVs, lasers(YAG, YLF), furnace bricks,

high-temperature

superconductors

40 Zr Zirconium non-corrodingneutron-

resistant metal

chemical pipelines, nuclear

reactors, furnace bricks,

abrasives, zircon gems

41 Nb Niobium high-melting-point non-

corroding metal

chemical pipelines,

superconductors, magnetic

levitation trains, MRI magnets

42 Mo Molybdenum high-melting-point metal

hard steel, cutting tools, drill

bits, armor plate, gun barrels,

fertilizer

43 TcTechnetium radioactive,

long-lived

first human-made element, only

traces on earth but found in

stars, medical diagnostic tracer

44 Ru Ruthenium non-corrodinghard metal

electric contacts, leaf switches,

pen tips, catalyst, hydrogen

production

45 Rh Rhodium non-corrodinghard shiny metal

labware, reflectors, electric

contacts, thermocouples,

catalyst, pollution control46 Pd Palladium non-corroding labware, electric contacts,


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hard metal,

absorbs

hydrogen

dentistry, catalyst, pollution

control

47 Ag Silver(Argentum)

soft shiny metal,

conducts

electricity best

of all elements

jewelry, silverware, coins,

dentistry, photo film

48 Cd Cadmium non-corrodingsoft metal, toxic

electroplated steel, nicad

batteries, red and yellow

paints, fire sprinklers

49 In Indium soft metal solders, glass seals, glasscoatings, liquid crystal displays

(LCD), semiconductors, diodes,

photocells

50 Sn Tin(Stanum)

non-corrodingsoft metal

solders, plated food cans,bronze (Cu-Sn), pewter cups,

glassmaking, fire sprinklers

51 Sb Antimony(Stibium)

brittle metalloid solders, lead hardener,

batteries, bullet,

semiconductors, photocells,

matches, flame retardant

52 TeTellurium brittle metalloid alloys, semiconductors,

photocopiers, computer disk,thermo-electric coolers and

generators

53 I Iodine violet-blacksolid

disinfectant for wounds and

drinking water, added to salt to

prevent thyroid disease, photo

film

54 XeXenon inert gas high-intensity lamps, headlights,

stadium lamps, projectors,

strobes, lasers, spacecraft ion

engines

55 Cs Cesium soft metal, meltson a hot day,

reactive, largest

stable atoms

atomic clocks, global navigation

(GPS), vacuum tube scavenger

56 Ba Barium soft metal,absorbs X-rays stomach X-ray contrastenhancer, green fireworks,whitener and filler for paper

57 La Lanthanum soft metal optical glass, telescopeeyepieces, camera lenses,

lighter flints, arc lamps

58 Ce Cerium soft metal most abundant rare earth metal,lighter flints, arc lamps, gas

lamp mantles, self-cleaningovens, glass polishing


6/9

59 Pr Praseodymium soft metal torchworkers' didymiumeyeglasses, lighter flints, arc

lamps, magnets, yellow glass

60 Nd Neodymium soft metal strong magnets (Nd-Fe-B),electric motors, speakers and

headphones, lasers, lighter

flints

61 Pm Promethium radioactive,long-lived

human-made, small traces in

nature, luminous dials, sheet

thickness gauges

62 Sm Samarium soft metal magnets (Sm-Co), electricmotors, speakers and

headphones, infrared sensors,

infrared-absorbing glass

63 Eu Europium soft metal phosphors in color TVs andtrichromatic fluorescent lamps,

luminous paint, lasers

64 Gd Gadolinium soft metal, bestneutron

absorber,

magnetic

magnetic resonance imaging

(MRI) contrast enhancer,

phosphors, neutron radiography

65 TbTerbium soft metal phosphors in color TVs and

trichromatic fluorescent lamps,

computer disks,

magnetostrictive "smart"

materials (Fe-Dy-Tb)

(Terfenol-D©)

66 Dy Dysprosium soft metal nuclear control rods, MRIphosphors, computer disks,

magnetostrictive "smart"

materials (Fe-Dy-Tb)

(Terfenol-D©)

67 Ho Holmium soft metal infrared lasers, laser surgery,eye-safe laser rangefinders,

computer disks, yellow glass

filters

68 Er Erbium soft metal fiber optic signal amplifiers,infrared lasers, laser surgery,pink glass, sunglasses, vanadium

alloys

69 Tm Thulium soft metal rarest stable rare earth metal,infrared lasers, laser surgery,

phosphors

70 Yb Ytterbium soft metal fiber optic signal amplifiers,infrared fiber lasers, stainless

steel alloys

Lutetium soft metal cancer-fi htin hotod namic


7/9

71 Lu

densest and

hardest rare

earth metal

(light-activated) medicine

72 Hf Hafnium non-corrodingmetal, absorbs

neutrons

nuclear reactor control rods in

submarines, plasma torch

electrodes

73 Ta Tantalum high-melting-point non-

corroding metal

labware, surgical tools,

artificial joints, capacitors,

mobile phones

74 W Tungsten(Wolfram)

highest-melting-

point metal,

dense

filaments in lamps and TVs,

cutting tools, abrasives,

thermocouples

75 Re Rhenium high-melting-

point densemetal

rocket engines, heater coils,

laboratory filaments, electriccontacts, thermocouples,

catalyst

76 Os Osmium non-corrodinghigh-melting-

point hard metal,

densest element

(same as Ir)

electric contacts, pen tips,

needles, fingerprint powder

77 Ir Iridium non-corrodinghard metal,densest element

(same as Os)

labware, spark plugs, pen tips,needles

78 Pt Platinum non-corrodingdense metal

labware, spark plugs, catalyst,

pollution control, petroleum

cracking, processing fats

79 Au Gold

(Aurum)

most malleable

element, densenon-tarnishing

colored metal

jewelry, coins, ultra-thin gold

leaf, electric contacts

80 Hg Mercury(Hydrargium)

liquid metal,

toxic

thermometers, barometers,

thermostats, street lamps,

fluorescent lamps, dentistry

81 Tl Thallium soft metal, toxic low-melting-point mercury

alloys, low-temperaturethermometers, undersea lamps,

photocells

82 Pb Lead(Plumbum)

dense, soft, non-

corroding metal,

toxic

weights, solders, batteries,

bullets, crystal glass, old

plumbing, radiation shield

83 Bi Bismuth low meltingpoint, brittle

metal

solders, fuses, fire sprinklers

(plugs melt when hot), cosmetics

pigmentPolonium radioactive, first radioactive element found,


8/9

84 Po long-lived small traces in nature, anti-static brushes, tobacco

85 At Astatine radioactive,short-lived

small traces in nature, cancer

medicine

86 Rn Radon radioactive gas,short-lived

environmental hazard, surgical

implants for cancer treatment

87 Fr Francium radioactive,short-lived,

atoms larger

than cesium

small traces in nature, studiedin laser atom traps

88 Ra Radium radioactive,long-lived

luminous watches (now banned),

medical radon production,

radiography, radwaste

89 AcActinium radioactive,

long-lived

small traces in nature, cancer

medicine, neutron source,

radwaste

90 Th Thorium radioactive,long-lived

most abundant radioactive

element, nuclear reactor fuel,

gas lamp mantles, tungsten

filaments, radwaste

91 Pa Protactinium radioactive,

long-lived

small traces in nature, no uses,

radwaste92 U Uranium radioactive,

long-lived, dense

nuclear reactor fuel, nuclear

weapons, counterweights,

armor-piercing bullets

93 Np Neptunium radioactive,long-lived

small traces in nature, neutron

detectors, dosimeters, possibly

nuclear weapons, radwaste

94 Pu Plutonium radioactive,long-lived

small traces in nature, nuclear

reactor fuel, nuclear weapons,radwaste

95 Am Americium radioactive,long-lived

never found in nature, smoke

detectors, sheet thickness

gauges, radwaste

96 Cm Curium radioactive,long-lived

never found in nature, scientific

instruments, mineral analyzers,

radwaste

97 Bk Berkelium radioactive,long-lived

never found in nature, no uses,

radwaste

98 Cf Californium radioactive,long-lived

never found in nature, scientific

instruments, mineral analyzers,

radwaste

99 Es Einsteinium radioactive,short-lived

never found in nature, no uses

100 Fm Fermium radioactive,short-lived never found in nature, no uses


9/9

101 Md Mendelevium radioactive,short-lived


102 No Nobelium radioactive,short-lived


103 Lr Lawrencium radioactive,short-lived


104 Rf Rutherfordium radioactive,short-lived


105 Db Dubnium radioactive,short-lived


106 Sg Seaborgium radioactive,short-lived


107 Bh Bohrium radioactive,

short-lived


108 Hs Hassium radioactive,short-lived


109 Mt Meitnerium radioactive,short-lived


110 Ds Darmstadtium radioactive,short-lived


111 RgRoentgenium radioactive,

short-lived


112 Cn Copernicium radioactive,short-lived


113 Uut Ununtrium radioactive,short-lived


114 Fl Flerovium radioactive,short-lived


115 Uup Ununpentium radioactive,short-livednever found in nature, no uses

116 Lv Livermorium radioactive,short-lived


117 Uus Ununseptium radioactive,short-lived


118 Uuo Ununoctium radioactive,

short-lived


(heaviest element yet madewhen this was written)

Note: On this chart, a radioactive element is called long-lived if the half-life of any of its isotopes is morethan one year; otherwise it is called short-lived. Some super-heavy elements marked short-lived may in futurebe found to have long-lived isotopes (see island of stability ).

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