Some Common Elements

HYDROGEN
Hydrogen is the first element in the periodic table and the most basic and common of all elements in the universe. Over ninety percent of all the atoms in the universe are hydrogen atoms and they are the lightest of all elements.
where we find hydrogen:
I. THE SUN
II. WELDING AND BLOWTORCHES
III. PLANTS AND SUGARS
Hydrogen is in all plants. There are sugars all throughout plants and there is hydrogen in sugar. That's why animals eat plants ... For the sugar and the energy
IV. CRYOGENICS
Hydrogen is used in something called cryogenics. Cryogenics is a process when scientists freeze things. When hydrogen is in a liquid form it is very, very cold. Scientists use this cold hydrogen to freeze things very quickly.
HELIUM
Named after the Sun and the Latin word "helios". Even when first discovered and identified, scientists knew there were large amounts of helium in the Sun.
Similar to hydrogen, helium is usually found as a gas and has no color or smell. Helium is found everywhere in the universe and is the second most common element, just like hydrogen.
we find it in :
I. BALLOONST.
II. THE SUN
Helium is in the Sun. If you were to look at everything in the sun you would discover large amounts of helium. The Sun is a really big ball of gases and all those gases are on fire. One of the results of that fire is helium.
III. COMPRESSED AIR TANKS
Whenever you see a SCUBA diver in the water, you should know that he has some helium in his air tank. Divers combine helium and regular air in those tanks at very high pressures. When they go deep in the water the helium makes it easier for them to breathe.
IV. LASERS
Sometimes helium is used in lasers. It's a good element to use because it is non-reactive. Even at really high temperatures helium will not bond with other elements.
V. COOLANTS
Nuclear Reactors use helium as coolant. When helium is in a liquid form it is a very low temperature. Because a reactor can be very hot, scientists need something very cool to keep everything under control.
VI. ROCKET FUEL
A rocket into space is using pelium. When we launch rockets into space, they sometimes use helium to cool the engines.
VII. BLIMPS
When you go to a football game you might see a blimp. That blimp is using helium to stay up in the air. Helium is lighter than regular air so it helps things float. A blimp is filled with helium and floats for a very long time. They use propellers to move around.
LITHIUM
This is the first metal encountered in the periodic table and it is a silvery colored solid when purified. One thing to remember is that lithium is never found alone in nature. It is always bonded to other elements.
We find it in :
I. BATTERIES
II. MEDICINE
When you take lithium it acts on nerves in your brain and changes the way you act.
III. ROCKS AND SOIL
IV. HOT SPRINGS
V. NUCLEAR REACTORS
Lithium is a very important element in Nuclear Reactors. It is a very light element which makes it important to scientists. It is used in many chemical reactions and processes.
VI. AIR CONDITIONERS
BERYLLIUM
Purified beryllium is a grey, hard, steel-like metal that is very poisonous. Another of its characteristics is its non-magnetic quality. Non-magnetic metals are very useful in electronics... You can never find beryllium alone. It is always combined with other elements when found on Earth.
We find it in:
I. NUCLEAR REACTORS
II. EMERALDS AND GEMS
Beryllium is in emeralds. It is also in another gem called aquamarine. Beryllium is only one of many ,elements inside an emerald
III. MACHINE PARTS AND SPRINGS
Beryllium is a very light metal. It is also used with other metals to make strong pieces for machines. Beryllium is often used in springs. With beryllium the springs become lighter and stronger.
IV . SATELLITES
Scientists use beryllium in satellites because it is so light. Satellites need to be light in weight because it is easier to get them into space.
V. SPACECRAFT
BORON
It's a tough element to isolate because it is never found alone in nature. Boron is always part oflarger compounds in the real world. When you do find it... It will either be in a brown powder or a crystal. As more tests were completed, it was discovered that boron was also a very poor conductor of electricity.
USED IN
I. CERAMICS
II. SOAPS
III. GLASS MANUFACTURING
IV. FLARE GUNS
V. FIBERGLASS
and cars instead of metal. Next time you see speedboats racing or someone surfing you will know that those things are made out of fiberglass.
CARBON
This is the magic element for everything on Earth. All life on Earth depends on carbon. It is in nearly every biological compound that makes up our bodies, systems, organs, cells, and organelles. When you breathe out, it's carbon combined with oxygen. Carbon has been known and used for thousands of years. Carbon is·the sixth element in the periodic table. Located between boron and nitrogen, it is a very stable element. Because it is· stable, it can be found in many naturaUy occurring compounds and by itself. Scientists describe the three states of carbon as diamond, amorphous, and graphite.
It was never really discovered. Ancient people knew of the black soot left over after a fire. That was carbon.
OCCURANCE:
I. PLANTS
II. DIAMONDS
III. CHARCOAL
IV. GRAPHITE
V. PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
VI. PLASTICS
NITROGEN
The second of the big three elements in row two is nitrogen. Nitrogen is the seventh element of the periodic table located between carbon and oxygen. Along with carbon and oxygen, it is essential in most of the compoun·ds that allow life to exist. Eighty percent of Earth's atmosphere is made of nitrogen gas.
Nitrogen is a clear gas that has no smell when it is in its pure form. It is not very reactive when it is in a pure molecule, but it can create very reactive compounds when combined with other elements including hydrogen (ammonia).
USED IN:
I. AMMONIA
Nitrogen is in something called ammonia. Ammonia is used as a disinfectant because it kills bacteria and fungus. It is very poisonous.
II. STEEL MANUFACTURING
Nitrogen is used in the processes to make steel. Many other elements are also used to make steel. It is not an easy thing to do. Scientists use nitrogen in many difficult processes.
III. COOLANT
Nitrogen is used as a refrigerant. When it is in a liquid form nitrogen is very cold. Scientists use that cold nitrogen to keep things frozen.
IV. OIL AND PETROLEUM REFINERIES
Nitrogen is used to refine oil. Scientists get oil out of the ground but it can't be made into gasoline without nitrogen
V. SOIL NUTRIENTS.
OXYGEN
oxygen makes over twenty percent of the Earth's atmosphere. We are the only planet in the solar system with enough oxygen available to let us survive. Oxygen is the eighth element of the periodic table and found in the second row (period). Alone, oxygen is a colorless and odorless compound that is a gas at room temperature. Oxygen molecules are not the only form of oxygen in the atmosphere; you will also find oxygen as ozone and carbon dioxide.
Find it in:
I. OZONE LAYER
II. PLASTICS
OxygeFl is inside things made out of plastic
III. BREATHABLE AIR
IV. ROCKS AND SOILS
V. WATER
FLUORINE
Located in the second period of the table (row 2), fluorine is the first element in the family of halogen gases. Fluorine is a yellowish gas at room temperature and is very dangerous. Fluorine is both poisonous and very reactive with other elements. It can combine with nearly any element on Earth.
Find it in:
I. ROCKET FUEL.
II. URANIUM PURIFICATION
III. REFRIGERATION FLUIDS
There is something that helps your refrigerator work. It's called Freon One of the main elements in Freon is fluorine.
IV. TOOTHPASTE
V. ETCHING SOLUTIONS
Artists use fluorine when they etch glass
NEON
Neon is one of the fun elements. The first thing most people think of is a big neon sign. The gas is placed in glass tubes and an electric current is sent through the gas. When excited, neon enters a plasma state and glows red. Neon is the tenth element of the periodic table and the second of the inert or noble gases. The element is incredibly non-reactive because of its electron configuration. When you find it, neon is a clear, odorless gas that isn't very exciting without electricity .
Find it in:
TV TUBES
I. CRYOGENICS
Scientists use neon in something called cryogenics. Cryogenics is when scientists freeze things very quickly ..
II. SIGNS
Neon is a gas. Scientists take neon and pump it into glass tubes.
III. LASERS
Neon is also used in lasers. Right now lasers aren't in guns to blow things up. Scientists use those lasers in experiments. Doctors also use them to do surgery. When you see a doctor using a red light on someone ... It might be a laser!
SODIUM
Being in the first column, sodium is a member of the alkali metal family with potassium and lithium.
When you purify sodium, you actually wind up with a silvery bright metal that is quite soft and malleable. Sodium is one of the few metals that will float when it is placed in water. Its atomic mass is less that water's atomic mass.
Find it in:
I. GLASS MANUFACTURING
II. PAPER MANUFACTURING
III. TABLE SALT
IV. DEVELOPING SOLUTION
When your send their pictures to be developed the company uses different liquids to make the pictures appear. Sodium is in some of those solutions.
V. FERTILIZER
MAGNESIUM
As we move across the third row of the periodic table, we find magnesium in the number two position. Humans have used magnesium, like many other simple elements, for hundreds of years.
Located in the second column of the periodic table, magnesium is in the family of alkali earth metals with calcium and beryllium. When purified, magnesium is a very light and silvery metal. Its lightness makes it perfect for use in many other metal alloys to increase strength without increasing the weight of the structure. Magnesium is also an important element in our diet. Both we and plants need magnesium to live and be healthy. It is called a trace metal.
Find it in:
I. MEDICINE
Scientist use magnesium in medicine.
II. CHLOROPHYLL MOLECULES
III. CAMERA FLASH BULBS
ALUMINUM
The metal is a silvery white color and very reflective. Another great trait of aluminum is that it is not toxic.
The thirteenth element in the periodic table has many other uses. When aluminum is combined with other metals it becomes very strong. It is so strong that engineers use it to build planes and ships
Find it in:
I. SERVING UTENSILS
II. RUBIES AND GEMS
There is a very special stone called a ruby. It is found in all sorts of jewelry. It has a very deep red color. There are aluminum atoms inside of all rubies.
III. ALUMINUM FOIL
IV. POWER TRANSMISSION LINES
V. AIRPLANES AND HELICOPTERS
VI. SAPPHIRES
Aluminum is in a lot of gem stones.
VII. CANS ANDPACKAGING
SILICON
The periodic table's close relative of carbon is silicon. Silicon is found everywhere in the universe, but is not found by itself in nature. You will always find silicon bound to other elements (usually oxygen). The rocks with silicon and oxygen are called silicates.
You will find silicon just below carbon in the third row (period) of the periodic table. Silicon has a similar makeup to carbon in the way its electrons are arranged. When purified, it is a metallic looking and grayish crystal. While it might be shiny like a metal, it is not a metal.
Find it in:
I. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
there-is silicon insid~ all of those sidewalks and brick houses!
II. CERAMICS
III. COMPUTER CHIPS
IV. GLASS
V. SKELETAL SYSTEM
You might not know that there is an element called calcium which is the main ingredient of your skeleton. Silicon is also inside your skeleton. Silicon keeps your skeleton strong and healthy.
PHOSPHORUS
It is very reactive. When isolated and pure, phosphorus is clear and almost transparent. There are four common forms used today: white, black, red, and violet. It's easy to spot phosphorus on the periodic table just under nitrogen at position number fifteen.
Find itin:
I. BAKING POWDER
Scientists use phosphorus to make baking powder. You will fmd it as the compound calcium phosphate. It's even in some of your cheeses.
II. CHINA AND PLATES
Phosphorus is also used to make dishes. Fine china is very expensive because a lot of special procedures go into making it. Phosphorus is one of the special elements that are used to make that fine china.
III. FIREWORKS
You can find Jots of phosphorus in fireworks. When phosphorus gets hot it bums really brightly. The bright sparks and flashes are usually because of that phosphorus.
IV. FERTILIZER
Phosphorus is a very important element in fertilizers. Plants need small amounts of phosphorus to grow up healthy. People also need phosphorus and they get it by eating plants.
V. GLASS
Scientists use phosphorus when they make glass.
SULPHUR
It is bright yellow in color and it has a really bad smell (like rotten eggs). Beyond the obvious physical traits of sulphur, man has been using this element for thousands of years .. Sulphur is often found near volcanoes and hot springs. Sulfur is even mentioned in the bible where it is called brimstone.
It's just under oxygen at position sixteen. Naturally occuring sulfur is a yellowish color and often found as a crystal. At normal temperatures, sulfur is non-reactive.
Find it in:
I. FERTILIZER
II. MEDICINE
Sulfur is an important element in medicines. If you have bronchitis and are coughing all the time, sometimes doctors give you sulfa-drugs. This medicine is made with sulfur and helps kill the bacteria making you sick.
III. VOLCANOES
If you ever get close enough to a volcano you'll be able to smell the sulfur. It smells like rotten eggs.
IV. FIREWORKS
Fireworks are also a good place to find sulfur. Fireworks and firecrackers are filled with gunpowder. One of the main ingredients of gunpowder is sulfur.
V. MATCHES
Just like fireworks, there is sulfur in matches that sparks and starts the flames.
CHLORINE
Chlorine is the second member of the halogen family. It's is right there in the periodic table with other elements like bromine and iodine. Being a halogen, chlorine is found in many salts that are formed with both alkali metals and alkali earth metals (groups I and II).
Find it in:
I. SWIMMING POOLS
People put chlorine in the pool to kill bacteria and disease. That addition makesLh-epool clean for you so you won't get sick
II. MAKING PAPER
Scientists use chlorine to make paper white. It bleaches the paper of all color.
III. BLEACH
Chlorine in bleach makes your.white clothes really white. It also takes the color out of your darker clothes.
IV. WATER PURIFICATION
The next time you get a glass of water you should thank chlorine. Chlorine is use to clean the water that comes to your house.
V. SALT
The salt on your table is made with chlorine.
VI. PLASTICS
VII. It is a special plastic called PVC. That's poly-vinyl-chloride. Chloride is the element chlorine.
ARGON
Argon makes up a little over one percent of our atmosphere. Once isolated, argon was not that special. It has no smell and not color. It wound up as the last element in period three at position number eighteen. As usual, the last element in the'raw'is an inert gas. Argon is in the same family as helium and neon. For a long ,time, scientists thought that Argon did not combine with any other clements. They were wrong.
Find it in:
1. WELDING
If you see someone welding you should know that sometimes they use argon. Argon is non-reactive so it is a good element when you use really high temperatures. It makes things safer.
II. GROWING CRYSTALS
Argon is used to grow silicon crystals. When scientists grow silicon crystals it must be done in a pure environment. There can be no other elements that might combine with the silicon. Argon is used because it will not react with the silicon.
III., LIGHT BULBS
When you look in a light bulb it looks like there's nothing there. But there is! Argon is a gas that scientists put in light bulbs to help them work better.
IV. VACUUM TUBES
Many years ago, radios used to be much larger and had big glass tubes inside. Those radio tubes were filled with argon gas.