THE
1.008
6.941
Elements
9.012
Atomic
Number
1.008
Atomic
Weight
Chemical
Symbol
22.99
24.31
Chemical
Name
4.003
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Alkali Metals
Other Metals
Alkaline Earth Metals
Metalloids
Transition Metals
Other Nonmetals
Lanthanides
Halogens
Actinides
Noble Gases
10.81
12.01
14.01
16.00
19.00
20.18
26.98
28.09
30.97
32.07
35.45
39.95
39.10
40.08
44.96
47.87
50.94
52.00
54.94
55.85
58.93
58.69
63.55
65.38
69.72
72.64
74.92
78.96
79.90
83.80
85.47
87.62
88.91
91.22
92.91
95.96
(98)
101.1
102.9
106.4
107.9
112.4
114.8
118.7
121.8
127.6
126.9
131.3
132.9
137.3
178.5
180.9
183.8
186.2
190.2
192.2
195.1
197.0
200.6
204.4
207.2
209.0
(209)
(210)
(222)
(223)
(226)
(265)
(268)
(271)
(272)
(277)
(276)
(281)
(280)
(285)
(284)
(289)
(288)
(293)
(294)
(294)
Livermorium
Flerovium
138.9
140.1
140.9
144.2
(145)
150.4
152.0
157.3
158.9
162.5
164.9
167.3
168.9
173.1
175.0
(227)
232.0
231.0
238.0
(237)
(244)
(243)
(247)
(247)
(251)
(252)
(257)
(258)
(259)
(262)
Copper
29
Carbon
6
Bismuth
83
Mercury
80
Copper is one of the most
important metals on the periodic
table. Because it is an excellent
conductor of electricity, copper is
used in wires and electric motors.
It is also resistant to corrosion
and is widely used as a roofing
material.
Bismuth is the most stable
radioactive element on the
periodic table. For example, if
you were to monitor a cluster of
bismuth atoms for 1.9 billionbillion years, you would find that,
on average, only 50% would have
undergone radioactive decay.
Carbon is the fourth most
abundant element in the universe
and arguably the most important
element on the periodic table. It
is the only element capable of
forming the complex molecular
structures on which all life forms
are based.
Pure mercury is highly toxic and
almost always found as a metallic
liquid. Today, mercury is used
in thermometers, barometers,
electric switches, and compact
fluorescent light bulbs.
Gold
79
Antimony
51
Manganese 25
Sodium
11
Iron
26
Sulfur
Gold is an excellent conductor of
electricity, rarely tarnishes, and
is the most malleable element on
the periodic table. Today, the U.S.
government holds nearly 9,000
tons of gold in reserve depots
around the country.
A highly reactive metal, sodium
exists in nature only in combination
with other elements and not
in its elemental form. Sodium
compounds and ions are critical to
many physiologic functions in all
animals and some plants.
Antimony is a soft, toxic semimetal with a rich history dating
back to ancient Egypt. Today,
chemical engineers incorporate
nontoxic antimony compounds
into a wide variety of products,
including batteries, bullets, glass,
and paints.
Iron bonds readily with oxygen
and pure iron quickly forms
iron oxide, or rust, in damp
environments. Iron’s affinity for
oxygen also allows the iron-rich
hemoglobin in our blood cells to
bond to and transport oxygen
throughout our bodies.
Series funding for NOVA is provided by David H. Koch, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and PBS viewers. Major funding for
“Hunting the Elements” is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Additional funding for “Hunting the Elements” is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy and by the Millicent and Eugene Bell Foundation.
This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-SC0007358. Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United
States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or
process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its
endorsement, recommendations, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
PHOTO CREDITS: Bismuth and Iron: images-of-elements.com (CC BY), Manganese: Heinrich Poink (CC BY-NC-ND), Sodium: Dnn87 (CC BY). Atomic weight is consistent with NIST SP 966 (September 2010).
Manganese is a biologically
important metal for both plants
and animals. The human body
contains 10 to 20 milligrams of
manganese, which is embedded
in enzymes and used to catalyze a
variety of biological processes.
16
Sulfur is a naturally occurring
element often found around
volcanic vents and other fissures
in Earth’s surface. Known since
ancient times, sulfur is a key
component in many proteins,
and largely responsible for their
structural integrity.
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