1. The Elements

2. Hydrogen Chemical Symbol: H Molecular formula: H2 Common phase: Gas
Discovered in 1766, it is the lightest element, almost never found uncombined on Earth. The sun and stars are almost pure hydrogen.
Thermonuclear fusion of hydrogen creates light and heat.

3. Helium (helios or sun) Symbol: He Chemical formula: He
Discovered in 1868.
Common phase: gas
It is a noble gas and does not combine with other elements.
Most helium is found in natural gas wells in the United States.
Used in blimps and balloons.
Although it will change the sound of one’s voice, it is a simple asphyxiant and should be used with caution.

4. Lithium (lithos or stone)
Symbol: Li
Discovered in 1817.
Common phase: solid
Lightest of the solid elements.
Easily oxidized.
Used in ceramics, alloys, the H-bomb, gout and manic depressives.

5. Beryllium Symbol: Be Discovered in 1798. Common phase: solid metal
Found in the mineral beryl.
Used to make elastic alloys for gears, springs, and rocket nose cones because of its high melting point of 1285 degrees Celsius.

6. Boron Symbol: B Discovered in 1808.
A nonmetal best known in borax (soap) and boric acid which is the only acid safe for eyes.
Also used as plant food and weed killer.

7. Carbon Symbol: C Prehistoric origin. Common phase: solid
Four types are:
Diamond, graphite, charcoal and bucky balls.
Used to produce nylons, plastics, petrol, perfume and explosives.
Carbon nanotubes

8. Nitrogen Symbol: N Common phase: gas Discovered in 1772.
Makes up 78% of the atmosphere.
Used to make anesthetics (nitrous oxide), explosives, and amino acids (proteins).
Nitrogen Cycle

9. Oxygen Symbol: O Molecular formula: O2 Common phase: gas
Discovered in the 1700’s.
Most abundant element on Earth.
21% of atmosphere and 2/3 of the human body are composed of oxygen.
Oxygen molecules

10. Fluorine (To Flow) Symbol: F Molecular formula: F2 Common phase: gas
Fluorine Molecule
Symbol: F
Molecular formula: F2
Common phase: gas
Discovered in 1771.
THE most reactive nonmetal.
Will react with almost everything except the toughest noble gases.
It is the T-rex of the non-metals.

11. Neon Symbol: Ne Noble gas Discovered in 1898.
Neon Swirl
Symbol: Ne
Noble gas
Discovered in 1898.
Mostly used in advertising.
Produces an orange-red light when zapped with electricity.

12. Sodium Symbol: Na for Natrium Common form: metal Discovered in 1807.
6th most abundant element.
Reacts with water.
Combines with chlorine to make table salt.
Also used in baking soda, lye and borax.

13. Magnesium Symbol: Mg Common state: solid metal Discovered in 1775.
8th most abundant element
Used for firecrackers, bombs, flash bulbs, flares.

14. Aluminum Symbol: Al Common form: solid metal
Most abundant metal on Earth.
Used extensively because of its density.
It is a non-renewable resource.

15. Silicon Symbol: Si Semi-metal Discovered in 1823
2nd most abundant “metal”.
Used for computer chips, caulking, etc.

16. Phosphorous (light bearer)
Symbol: P
Nonmetal
Discovered in 1669.
Occurs in 3 major forms: white, red and rarely, black.
It turns to yellow, then to red in the light and glows in the dark, hence the term, “phosphorescent”.
White Phosphorous

17. Copper Symbol: Cu from the Latin word Cuprum. Metal.
Discovered: ancient times.
It and gold are the only non-silver metals.
Used in most gold jewelry
Copper Dude
“Cu” later alligator!

18. Zinc Symbol: Zn Metal Discovered in 16th century.
An excellent coating metal also used to line flashlight batteries.
Zinc Cream

19. Gallium Symbol: Ga Metal Discovered in 1875.
From the word Gallia—the old name for France.
Melts in the hand and expands while it freezes.
Used to record temperatures because of its high boiling point of 1983 degrees C.

20. Germanium (named for Germany)
Symbol: Ge
Semi-metal
Discovered in 1886.
First element used for transistors.
Ge has replaced large vacuum tubes with devices 1/400 of an inch across.
Crystal Structure of
Solid Germanium

21. Arsenic Symbol: As Discovered in 1250. Semi-metal
Best known as a poison but also used in medicinal compounds.
When heated, it sublimes.
Yikes!

22. Selenium (moon) Symbol: Se Discovered in 1817
Both a metal and nonmetal.
Is electrically conducive with variations in light.
The photoelectric trait suits it for service in electric eyes, solar cells, tv cameras and light meters.

23. Bromine (stench) Symbol: Br Discovered in 1826.
A red caustic, fuming liquid with a foul smell.
Used as a disinfectant, nerve sedatives and gasoline anti-knock compounds.

24. Krypton (kryptos or hidden)
Symbol: Kr
Discovered in 1898.
Noble gas
Radioactive isotopes of krypton are used to detect excess traces of nuclear production because it is a product of nuclear reactors.

25. Rubidium (red) Symbol: Rb Discovered in 1861. Metal
Used in electric-eye cells.
Slightly radioactive and used to locate brain tumors because it collects only in tumors, not normal tissue.

26. Barium (heavy/dense) Symbol: Ba Discovered in 1808. Metal
Used as a medical cocktail to outline the stomach and intestines for X-ray exams.
Also gives green color to fireworks.

27. Zirconium Symbol: Zr Prehistoric Metal
Used to line reactors in nuclear subs and nuclear power plants because it is unaffected by neutrons.
Also used in rockets.

28. Silver (argentum) Symbol: Ag Prehistoric
Best conductor of heat and electricity.
Its salts are basic to photography.
Silver bromide undergoes a chemical change when exposed to light.
Hi Ho___and Away!

29. Sulfur (brimstone) Symbol: S Ancient times Non-metal
Used in all branches of industry such as matches, insecticides and rubber tires.
Used to make sulfuric acid—the most widely used acid in the world.
A lovely lump of sulfur

30. Chlorine Symbol: Cl Discovered in 1774. Gas
Greenish-yellow gas used as a bleach, disinfectant, and poisonous gas.
Commonly obtained from pure salt.

31. Argon Symbol: Ar Noble Gas Discovered 1894
The most abundant of the noble gases, making up 0.934% of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Used for colored lighting.

32. Potassium (kalium) Symbol: K Soft Metal Discovered in 1807.
7th most abundant element in Earth’s crust.
Slightly radioactive.
Reacts with water.
Potassium and water

33. Calcium (lime) Symbol: Ca Metal Discovered in 1808.
5th Most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
Essential for healthy bones and teeth and regulating heartbeat.
Average human has about 2 pounds of calcium.

34. Scandium Symbol: Sc Metal Discovered in 1879
isotope tracing in crude oil analysis
the iodide is added to mercury vapor lamps and produces a highly efficient light source resembling sunlight, which is important for indoor or night-time color TV transmission.

35. Titanium Symbol: Ti Metal Discovered in 1791
9th most abundant element in Earth’s crust.
Used to make bright paints and supersonic aircraft such as the Concorde.
Concorde

36. Vanadium Symbol: V Metal Discovered in 1830.
Vanadium foil sheet
Symbol: V
Metal
Discovered in 1830.
Added to steel, it produces one of the toughest alloys for armour plate, axles, piston rods and crankshafts.

37. Chromium Symbol: Cr Metal Discovered in 1797
Bright, silvery metal used to form pigments that are vivid in color.
Rubies get their color from chromium.
Used to plate bumpers, etc.

38. Manganese Symbol: Mn Metal Discovered in 1774.
Gives steel a hard yet pliant quality.
Gives animal bone its sponginess so that it doesn’t break so easily.
Manganese nuggets

39. Iron (Ferrum) Symbol: Fe Metal Prehistoric
4th most abundant element and least expensive metal.
The basic ingredients in steel.
Carries oxygen to blood.

40. Cobalt (evil spirit) Symbol: Co Metal Discovered in 1735.
Blue salts give color to porcelains and enamels.
Used to make jet propulsion engines.
Radioactive isotopes used to treat cancer.

41. Nickel (false copper) Symbol: Ni Metal Discovered in 1751.
A reddish ore that is hard, durable and used for making coins.
A U.S. 25 cent piece is 25% nickel and the rest is copper.

42. Tin (Stannum) Symbol: Sn Metal Prehistoric
Durable metal that resists corrosion, making the tin can possible.
A tin can is steel coated with about of an inch of tin.

43. Antimony (stibium) Symbol: Sb Metal Discovered in 1450.
Generally mixes with other elements.
Mixed with lead batteries and goes into pewter alloys.

44. Tellurium (the earth) Symbol: Te Semi-Metal Discovered in 1782.
Tellurium is often used as an additive to steel and it is often alloyed to aluminum, copper, tin or lead.
Tellurium is added to lead to improve its durability, strength and resistance to corrosion. It can be used for cast iron, ceramics, blasting caps, solar panels, chalcogenide glasses. When added to rubber, tellurium speeds up the curing process and makes the product less susceptible to ageing and less likely to be affected by oil, which softens normal rubber.

45. Iodine (violet) Symbol: I Molecule: I2 Solid Discovered in 1811.
A blue-black solid that turns into a violet vapor when heated.
Used in medicine, photography and is added to salt to prevent goiter.

46. Xenon (stranger) Symbol: Xe Noble gas Discovered in 1898.
Rarest gas in atmosphere.
Used in high-speed electronic flash bulbs by photographers.
Produces an instant, intense, light.

47. Cesium (sky blue) Symbol: Cs Metal Discovered in 1869.
Its salt turns flames blue.
Softest metal that’s a liquid at room temperature.
Reacts violently with water.
Radioactive isotopes used in medicine.
Cesium + Water

48. Gold (Aurum) Symbol: Au Metal Prehistoric The most malleable metal.
Used for money, jewelry, dental work and electronics.

49. Mercury (Hydragyrum) Symbol: Hg Liquid metal Prehistoric
Used in thermometers, barometers, dental inlays, thermostats and vaporized mercury give street lights their bluish-hue.
Mercury vapors are poisonous.

50. Lead (Plumbum) Symbol: Pb Metal Prehistoric
Lead is extremely durable, used as the backbone of plumbing for centuries.
Lead pipes once drained the baths of ancient Rome and have still been recovered intact.
Lead poisoning causes health problems.
Mad Hatter

51. Bismuth (white mass) Symbol: Bi Semi-metal Discovered in 1450.
Melts at 271 degrees C but forms alloys that melt at 47 deg. C.
Used in electric fuses, solders and automatic fire sprinklers.

52. Polonium (Poland) Symbol: Po Metal
Discovered in 1898 by Marie and Pierre Curie.
The scarcest natural element, its use is as an alpha particle source in scientific research.

53. Astatine Symbol: At Metallic Discovered in 1940.
An unstable element that is not found naturally but is a by-product of nuclear reactors.

54. illuminate the clock face.
Radon
Symbol: Rn
Noble gas
Discovered in 1900.
Heaviest gaseous element.
A radioactive gas emitted from radium.
Can cause cancer and also used in cancer therapy.
Radon is a by-product
from the radon used to
illuminate the clock face.

55. Francium (France) Symbol: Fr
Discovered in 1939 by and assistant to Marie Curie.
Short-lived product from the decay of actinium.
Never been seen due to its short-life.
This sample of uraninite
contains some francium
because of a steady-state decay chain.

56. Radium Symbol: Ra Metal Discovered 1898 by the Curies.
6th rarest element.
Radium bromide and zinc sulfide make luminous watch dials.
The radioactive particles from the radium cause the zinc sulfide to glow.

57. Tungsten (wolfram) Symbol: W Discovered in 1783.
Highest melting point of the metals.
Melts at 3,410 deg. C.
Used in incandescent light bulbs.

58. Uranium (Uranus) Symbol: U Discovered 1789. Metal
Heaviest atoms of naturally occurring elements.
Most common form has a half-life of 4500 million years.
Used in nuclear reactors and weapons of mass destruction.