PURE SUBSTANCES

NOTES:
There are three types of elements:
Solid elements,
Liquid elements and
Gaseous elements.

Solid elements: Some of the Solid elements are as follows:

Carbon, Sodium, Aluminium, Silicon, Calcium, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel Copper, Zinc, Silver and
Gold.

1) Carbon (Symbol -C)

● found freely in large amount on earth as carbon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide,
diamond, coal, graphite carbohydrates, protein and etc.
● Diamond is the hardest natural material.
● Carbon-14 is a radioactive element used in carbon dating. (Carbon dating is a method
used to determine the age of extremely old objects).

Uses of carbon:-
It is used in pencils, plastics, Paints,pigments, lubricants etc.

2) Sodium (Symbol-Na)

● Sixth abundant (means available in large quantities) element in the earth's crust.
● catches fire easily when exposed to air, if it is in pure form it is a Shiny white metal.
 Most common form of sodium is sodium chloride that is a table salt. Sodium chloride or
table salt is a compound whose molecules are made from one atom of the element
‘Sodium’ and one atom of the element ‘chlorine’ and compounds are formed by
chemical combination of two or more elements combined in a definite proportion. So,
we call sodium chloride or table salt a compound.
Uses of sodium:
In medicines, agriculture, photograph ,street light, batteries glass etc.

3) Aluminium (Symbol- Al)

 Soft and light weighted metal.
 Dull silvery appearance.
 Abundant in Earth's crust.
Uses of Aluminium:
 For making electric wires, foil wrappers, utensils, household products and in the
manufacture of aircrafts and rockets.

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4) Silicon ( Symbol Si)
 Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust.
 Found in sand, quartz ,mica and clay.
 It is also present in animal and plant cell walls.

Uses of Silicon:
 In making glasses, solar cells, tools, cement, grease oil and microchips.
(Microchips are tiny wafer of semiconductor material such as Silicon,
designed to carry out a number of functions.)

Calcium (Symbol- Ca)

 Silver-coloured metal abundantly present on the Earth's crust.
 Occurs freely in nature as limestone.
 In human and animal body calcium is needed for the formation of teeth bones and
teeth and shells.
 If a person has deficiency of calcium, doctors prescribe to take calcium tablets.
 Calcium is also helpful in development of plant tissues.
Uses of Calcium:
 Fertilizers, concrete and plaster of Paris.

Iron ( Symbol- Fe)

 lustrous ,greyish- coloured solid metal.
 it is present in large amount in animals and plants.
 It is the key element in blood.
 Iron also has magnetic properties.
 Magnets are formed from iron.
 It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Uses of Iron:
 Used in making wires, utensils, furniture, medicines, steel, machines, engines and etc.

Cobalt (Symbol-Co)
 Brittle, hard metal, resembling iron and nickel in appearance.
 Pure cobalt metal is steel-coloured but Cobalt salts are blue in colour.

Uses of Cobalt :
 Used in making blue coloured glasses,
 Inks, paints, varnishes, alloys and magnets.
 Used in treatment of cancer in human body.

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Nickel (Symbol – Ni)
 Lustrous
 Metallic,
 Silvery white metal.
 Hard and can be drawn into sheets and wires .
 good conductor of heat and electricity

Uses of Nickel:
 Used to make sheets ,mesh, rods ,coins and magnets.
 It gives glass a greenish colour.
 It is extensively used for making stainless steel.
 It is also use to provide a protective coating over other metals.
 it is used to make magnets .

Copper (Symbol- Cu)

 Copper is a bright metal and reddish in colour.
 It can be drawn in wires and sheets.
 It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Uses of Copper:
 Mixed with other Metals used for making utensils and decorative items.

Zinc (Symbol- Zn)

 Pale , grey-coloured
 Shiny metal
 good conductor of heat and electricity.
Uses of Zinc:
 used to make foils, sheets, wires, alloys and medicines.
 Zinc is an important element needed in small amounts in plants and animals.
 widely used for making paints, cosmetics, plastics, printing inks, soaps, storage
batteries, electrical equipments and other products.
 Zinc ores were used for making brass.

Silver (Symbol -Ag)

 Rare and expensive shiny white metal.
 Pure silver has highest electrical and thermal conductivity.
Uses of Silver:
 Used in coating the back side of mirror.
 in making jewelry
 Paints and as electrical conductors.
 Used in photography and for making batteries.

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Gold (Symbol-Au):
 A rare and expensive shiny yellow metal.
 It is mixed with other metals such as silver and copper while making jewelry
because the pure form of gold is very soft.
Uses of Gold :
 It is used in painting
 Electrical items.
 Coins and etc.

Radium:
 A rare element.
 The quantity of radium extracted from its core is very less.
 This makes radium a precious element more than hundred thousand times costlier
than gold.

Polonium:
 Heaviest of all metals.
 Appearance is almost pure white.
 When get exposure to air, it turns black.

LIQUID ELEMENTS:
There are mainly two elements that are liquid at room temperature (25°Celsius) first is
mercury and the other one is bromine.

Mercury (Symbol- Hg)

 Mercury is the only metal that occurs in liquid form.

 Mercury is poisonous in soluble form.
 Also called Quicksilver, which means liquid silver.
 Heavy, silvery -white liquid metal.
 Extremely rare element on the Earth's crust.

Uses of Mercury:

 Used in Laboratories to make Thermometers, barometers, manometers and oUther

scientific apparatus.
 Used in mercury switches.
 Dental preparations
 Paints and batteries.
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