79

Au
gold
196.97
29

Cu copper
63.546
 Description Use or Occurrenc
Physical characteristics of How it is (or was) used or
Element
the element in its pure found.
form. Click links to find out m

90% of atoms in the univer

explosive gas, lightest
1 H Hydrogen and stars, H2O, life's
element
organicmolecules

inert gas, second-lightest nuclear fusion in sun and s

2 He Helium
element balloons,lasers, supercoldre

lightweight aluminum alloy

lightest metal, soft, batteries,impact-resistant
3 Li Lithium
reactive ceramiccookware (Corning
moodstabilizer

non-sparking copper alloy

tools,aerospace, X-ray wind
4 Be Beryllium lightweight metal
berylgems: emeralds and
aquamarines
 borax soap, fertilizer, stiff
fibers,sports equipment (go
5 B Boron hard black solid clubs,tennis rackets, skis), h
resistantborosilicate glass
(Pyrex©),semiconductors

basis of life's organic

hard diamond, soft
6 C Carbon molecules,animals, plants, C
graphite
wood, paper, cloth,plastic,

78% of air, organic molecu

7 N Nitrogen colorless gas protein,muscles, DNA, amm
fertilizer,explosives (TNT), r

21% of air, H2O, 65% of the

body, organic molecules, b
8 O Oxygen colorless gas
breathing,fire, half ofEarth's
minerals,oxides

glowing fluorite, toothpaste

yellowish poison gas,
9 F Flourine cookware (Teflon©), CFCre
most reactive element
(Freon©)

orange-red neon tubes

10 Ne Neon inert gas foradvertising signs, lasers,
refrigerant
 salt (NaCl), nerves, baking
Sodium
11 Na soft metal, reactive soda,antacids, lye, soap, so
(Natrium)
glass,papermaking, street la

chlorophyll in green plants

12 Mg Magnesium lightweight metal basalt,aluminum alloys, car
bikes,flares, sparklers, antac

common metal, kitcheware

lightweight non- foil,machinery, cars, planes
13 Al Aluminum
corroding metal feldspar,granite, clay, ceram
corundum, gems

quartz, granite, sand, soil, c

ceramics,glass, algae, diato
14 Si Silicon hard metalloid
semiconductors,computer
silicone rubber

glowing white waxy solid bones, DNA, energy-

15 P Phosphorus (also red and black storingphosphates (ATP), fe
forms) acids, detergents,matches

skin, hair, eggs, onions, gar

16 S Sulfur brittle yellow solid skunks, hot springs, volcano
gypsum, rubber, acids,pape

salt (NaCl), bleach, stomach

17 Cl Chlorine greenish poison gas
acid,disinfectant, drinking w
 swimming pools, PVC plast
and bottles

1% of air, most abundant in

18 Ar Argon inert gas Earth, light bulbs, "neon"tu
lasers,welding gas

salts, nerves, nutrient in fru

Potassium
19 K soft metal, reactive vegetables, soap, fertilizer,
(Kalium)
potash,matches, gunpowde

bones, teeth, milk, leaves,

vegetables,shells, coral, lim
20 Ca Calcium soft metal
chalk, gypsum,plaster, mor
cement, marble, antacids

aluminum alloys, racing bik

21 Sc Scandium soft lightweight metal stadium lamps, furnace bric
aquamarines

aerospace, racing bikes,

strongest lightweight
22 Ti Titanium artificialjoints,white paint, b
metal, heat-resistant
sapphires

hard strong resilient steel,

structures,vehicles, springs,
23 V Vanadium hard metal
driveshafts, tools,aerospace
violetsapphires
 stainless steel (Fe-Cr-Ni),
kitchenware,nichrome heat
24 Cr Chromium hard shiny metal
trim, paints,recording tape,
and rubies

hard tough steel, earthmov

25 Mn Manganese hard metal crushers, rails, plows, axes,
batteries,fertilizer, amethys

steel alloys are mostly iron,

Iron medium-hard metal,
26 Fe structures,vehicles, magnet
(Ferrum) magnetic
core, red rocks, blood

hard strong steel, cutting to

27 Co Cobalt hard metal, magnetic turbines,magnets (Al-Ni-Co
blueglass and ceramics, vita

stainless steel (Fe-Cr-Ni),

medium-hard metal,
28 Ni Nickel kitchenware,nichrome heat
magnetic
nicad batteries,Earth's core

wires, cookware, brass (Cu-

Copper colored metal, conducts
29 Cu bronze (Cu-Sn), coins, pipe
(Cuprum) heat and electricity well
crab blood

galvanized steel, brass (Cu-

30 Zn Zinc non-corroding metal Zn),batteries, white paint, p
in TVsand lamps, fertilizer
 soft metal, melts on a semiconductors, light-emit
31 Ga Gallium
hot day (LEDs) (GaAs), signallights,

semiconductors, transistors
32 Ge Germanium brittle metalloid rectifiers,diodes, photocells
infrared windows

poisons, semiconductors, li
33 As Arsenic brittle metalloid emitting diodes (LEDs) (GaA
lights, tiny lasers

semiconductors, photocop
34 Se Selenium brittle gray solid printers, photocells, redglas
dandruff shampoo, rubber

disinfectant, pools and spa

35 Br Bromine dark red liquid film,flame retardant, leaded
sedatives

high-intensity lamps,
36 Kr Krypton inert gas headlights,flashlights, lante
"neon"tubes, lasers

atomic clocks, global

37 Rb Rubidium soft metal, reactive navigation(GPS),vacuum tu
scavenger

red fireworks, flares, phosp

38 Sr Strontium soft metal nuclear batteries, medicald
tracer,nuclear fallout
 phosphors in color TVs, las
39 Y Yttrium soft metal YLF), furnace bricks, high-
temperature superconduct

chemical pipelines,
non-corroding neutron-
40 Zr Zirconium nuclearreactors,furnace bri
resistant metal
abrasives, zircon gems

chemical pipelines,
high-melting-point non-
41 Nb Niobium superconductors,magneticl
corroding metal
trains, MRI magnets

high-melting-point hard steel, cutting tools, dr

42 Mo Molybdenum
metal armor plate, gun barrels, fe

first human-made element

43 Tc Technetium radioactive, long-lived onlytraces on Earth but fou
medical diagnostic tracer

non-corroding hard electric contacts, leaf switch

44 Ru Ruthenium
metal tips,catalyst, hydrogenprod

labware, reflectors,
non-corroding hard
45 Rh Rhodium electriccontacts,thermocou
shiny metal
catalyst, pollution control

non-corroding hard labware, electric contacts,

46 Pd Palladium
metal, absorbs hydrogen dentistry,catalyst, pollution
 soft shiny metal,
Silver jewelry, silverware, coins,
47 Ag conducts electricity best
(Argentum) dentistry,photo film
of all elements

non-corroding soft electroplated steel, nicadba

48 Cd Cadmium
metal, toxic red and yellow paints, fire s

solders, glass seals, glass co

49 In Indium soft metal liquid crystal displays (LCD)
semiconductors,diodes, ph

solders, plated food cans,

Tin non-corroding soft
50 Sn bronze(Cu-Sn), pewter cup
(Stanum) metal
glassmaking, fire sprinklers

solders, lead hardener, batt

Antimony
51 Sb brittle metalloid bullet,semiconductors, pho
(Stibium)
matches,flame retardant

alloys, semiconductors,
52 Te Tellurium brittle metalloid photocopiers,computer dis
electric coolersandgenerato

disinfectant for wounds and

53 I Iodine violet-black solid water, added to salt toprev
thyroid disease, photofilm

high-intensity lamps, headl

54 Xe Xenon inert gas stadium lamps, projectors,
lasers,spacecraft ionengine
 soft metal, melts on a atomic clocks, global
55 Cs Cesium hot day, reactive, largest navigation(GPS),vacuum tu
stable atoms scavenger

stomach X-ray contrast enh

soft metal, absorbs X-
56 Ba Barium green fireworks, whitener a
rays
paper

optical glass, telescope

57 La Lanthanum soft metal eyepieces,camera lenses, lig
flints, arclamps

most abundant rare earth m

lighter flints, arc lamps, gas
58 Ce Cerium soft metal
lampmantles, self-cleaning
glass polishing

torchworkers'
59 Pr Praseodymium soft metal didymiumeyeglasses,lighte
lamps, magnets, yellow gla

strong magnets (Nd-Fe-B),

60 Nd Neodymium soft metal motors, speakers andheadp
lasers,lighter flints

human-made, small traces

61 Pm Promethium radioactive, long-lived innature,luminous dials,
sheetthickness gauges
 magnets (Sm-Co), electric
motors,speakers and headp
62 Sm Samarium soft metal
infrared sensors, infrared-a
glass

phosphors in color TVs

63 Eu Europium soft metal andtrichromatic fluorescen
luminous paint, lasers

magnetic resonance imagin

soft metal, best neutron
64 Gd Gadolinium contrast enhancer, phosph
absorber, magnetic
neutron radiography

phosphors in color TVs

andtrichromatic fluorescen
65 Tb Terbium soft metal computer
disks,magnetostrictive"sma
materials (Fe-Dy-Tb)(Terfen

nuclear control rods,

MRIphosphors,computer d
66 Dy Dysprosium soft metal
magnetostrictive "smart"
materials(Fe-Dy-Tb) (Terfen

infrared lasers, laser surger

67 Ho Holmium soft metal laser rangefinders,
computerdisks,yellow glass
 fiber optic signal amplifiers
68 Er Erbium soft metal lasers, laser surgery,
pinkglass,sunglasses, vanad

rarest stable rare earth met

69 Tm Thulium soft metal infrared lasers, laser surger
phosphors

fiber optic signal amplifiers

70 Yb Ytterbium soft metal
fiber lasers, stainlesssteel al

soft metal, densest and cancer-fighting photodyna

71 Lu Lutetium
hardest rare earth metal activated) medicine

nuclear reactor control rod

non-corroding metal,
72 Hf Hafnium insubmarines, plasma
absorbs neutrons
torchelectrodes

labware, surgical tools,

high-melting-point non-
73 Ta Tantalum artificialjoints,capacitors, m
corroding metal
phones

Tungsten highest-melting-point filaments in lamps and TVs

74 W
(Wolfram) metal, dense tools, abrasives, thermocou

rocket engines, heater coils

high-melting-point laboratory filaments,
75 Re Rhenium
dense metal electriccontacts,thermocou
catalyst
 non-corroding high-
melting-point hard electric contacts, pen tips,
76 Os Osmium
metal, densest element needles,fingerprint powder
(same as Ir)

non-corroding hard
labware, spark plugs, pen t
77 Ir Iridium metal, densest element
needles
(same as Os)

labware, spark plugs, cataly

non-corroding dense
78 Pt Platinum pollution control, petroleum
metal
processing fats

most malleable element,

Gold jewelry, coins, ultra-thin go
79 Au dense non-tarnishing
(Aurum) leaf,electric contacts
colored metal

thermometers, barometers
Mercury
80 Hg liquid metal, toxic thermostats,street lamps, fl
(Hydrargium)
lamps,dentistry

low-melting-point mercury
81 Tl Thallium soft metal, toxic low-temperature thermom
undersea lamps, photocells

weights, solders, batteries,

Lead dense, soft, non-
82 Pb bullets,crystal glass, old plu
(Plumbum) corroding metal, toxic
radiation shield
 low melting point, brittle solders, fuses, fire sprinkler
83 Bi Bismuth
metal melt when hot), cosmeticsp

first radioactive element fo

84 Po Polonium radioactive, long-lived traces in nature, anti-
staticbrushes,tobacco

small traces in nature,

85 At Astatine radioactive, short-lived
cancermedicine

radioactive gas, short- environmental hazard,

86 Rn Radon
lived surgicalimplants for cancer

radioactive, short-lived,
small traces in nature, stud
87 Fr Francium atoms larger than
atom traps
cesium

luminous watches (now ban

88 Ra Radium radioactive, long-lived medical radon production,
radiography, radwaste

small traces in nature,

89 Ac Actinium radioactive, long-lived cancermedicine,neutron so
radwaste

most abundant
radioactiveelement,nuclear
90 Th Thorium radioactive, long-lived
fuel, gaslamp mantles,tung
filaments, radwaste
 small traces in nature, no u
91 Pa Protactinium radioactive, long-lived
radwaste

nuclear reactor fuel,

radioactive, long-lived,
92 U Uranium nuclearweapons,counterwe
dense
armor-piercing bullets

small traces in nature,

93 Np Neptunium radioactive, long-lived neutrondetectors, dosimete
possiblynuclear weapons, r

small traces in nature, nucle

94 Pu Plutonium radioactive, long-lived fuel, spacecraft power, nuc
weapons

never found in nature,

95 Am Americium radioactive, long-lived smokedetectors,sheet thick
gauges, radwaste

never found in nature,

96 Cm Curium radioactive, long-lived scientificinstruments, miner
analyzers, radwaste

never found in nature, no u

97 Bk Berkelium radioactive, long-lived
radwaste

never found in nature,

98 Cf Californium radioactive, long-lived scientificinstruments, miner
analyzers, radwaste

99 Es Einsteinium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

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

101 Md Mendelevium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

102 No Nobelium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

103 Lr Lawrencium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

104 Rf Rutherfordium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

105 Db Dubnium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

106 Sg Seaborgium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

107 Bh Bohrium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

108 Hs Hassium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

109 Mt Meitnerium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

110 Ds Darmstadtium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

111 Rg Roentgenium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

112 Cn Copernicium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

113 Nh Nihonium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

114 Fl Flerovium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

115 Mc Moscovium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

116 Lv Livermorium radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

117 Ts Tennessine radioactive, short-lived never found in nature, no u

 never found in nature, no u
118 Og Oganesson radioactive, short-lived (heaviest element yet made
this was written)