Elements and Compounds
Antimony
(Sb)
Atomic Number: 51
Atomic Weight: 121.760
Antimony is a lustrous gray metalloid found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). Historically used in cosmetics and medicines, it now finds applications in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, and alloys.
Why It's Cool: Antimony's ability to expand on cooling, a property unique among metals, makes it ideal for creating typeface in printing, as it ensures sharp details when solidifying around molds.
Argon
(Ar)
Atomic Number: 18
Atomic Weight: 39.948
Argon is a colorless, odorless, inert gas that constitutes about 0.93% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the third most abundant gas. It is mostly used in industrial processes that require a non-reactive atmosphere, such as arc welding and the production of titanium and other reactive elements.
Why It's Cool: Argon's ability to provide a protective atmosphere for historical documents and materials is fascinating. The gas is used to preserve the original Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in the National Archives, preventing oxidation and degradation. Its use in preserving invaluable pieces of history underscores the vital role inert gases play beyond industrial applications.
Arsenic
(As)
Atomic Number: 33
Atomic Weight: 74.922
Arsenic is a notorious metalloid with a history of use as a poison and a medicine. It occurs in various minerals and is used in alloys, semiconductors, and as a wood preservative.
Why It's Cool: Despite its toxic reputation, arsenic has been used beneficially in small doses to treat trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and is a critical component in gallium arsenide, a semiconductor that outperforms silicon in high-speed and high-frequency applications.
Boron
(B)
Atomic Number: 5
Atomic Weight: 10.81
Boron is a metalloid essential in the manufacture of high-strength, lightweight materials and fibers. It's also crucial in agriculture for plant growth and in the production of borosilicate glass.
Why It's Cool: Boron fibers are among the strongest and lightest materials known, making them indispensable in aerospace engineering for applications requiring materials with an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.
Brimstone
(Sulfur, S)
Atomic Number: 16
Atomic Weight: 32.065
Historically known as brimstone, sulfur is a yellow, odorless, and tasteless nonmetal. It's used in the manufacture of sulfuric acid, vulcanization of rubber, and in fertilizers.
Why It's Cool: Sulfur's role in vulcanizing rubber revolutionized the rubber industry, transforming rubber from a sticky substance into a durable material, crucial for tires and industrial uses.
Cadmium
(Cd)
Atomic Number: 48
Atomic Weight: 112.411
Cadmium is a soft, bluish-white metal used primarily in batteries, coatings, and pigments, particularly in plastics and paints for its vibrant colors.
Why It's Cool: Cadmium's use in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries showcases its ability to store electrical energy efficiently. However, its toxic properties have led to strict regulations on its use.
Calcium
(Ca)
Atomic Number: 20
Atomic Weight: 40.078
An essential element in the human diet, calcium is a reactive, soft metal that forms a dull white coating when exposed to air. It's widely used in steelmaking, construction, and as a dietary supplement.
Why It's Cool: Calcium compounds give off a bright red color in fireworks and flares, and the element plays a crucial role in biological systems, including bone and tooth formation and muscle function.
Carbon
(C)
Atomic Number: 6
Atomic Weight: 12.011
Carbon is a nonmetal that forms various allotropes, including graphite, diamond, and fullerenes. It's essential for life, forming the basis of organic chemistry.
Why It's Cool: The versatility of carbon allows it to form an immense variety of compounds, more than any other element, underpinning the complexity of life. Diamonds, one of its allotropes, are among the hardest materials known.
Cerium
(Ce)
Atomic Number: 58
Atomic Weight: 140.116
The most abundant of the rare earth metals, cerium is used in catalytic converters for cars, in glass polishing compounds, and in self-cleaning ovens.
Why It's Cool: Cerium's ability to rapidly oxidize and release heat upon contact with water is exploited in flint spark lighters, where it provides the spark to ignite fuel.
Chromium
(Cr)
Atomic Number: 24
Atomic Weight: 51.996
Known for its lustrous, high polish and resistance to tarnishing and corrosion, chromium is used in stainless steel, chrome plating, and as a pigment.
Why It's Cool: Chromium plating not only provides a mirror-like finish to objects but also adds a protective layer, significantly enhancing durability and resistance to corrosion.
Copper
(Cu)
Atomic Number: 29
Atomic Weight: 63.546
Copper is a highly conductive metal used in electrical wiring, plumbing, and as a part of various metal alloys like bronze and brass. It's known for its reddish metallic luster.
Why It's Cool: Beyond its essential role in modern technology for its conductivity, copper's antimicrobial properties make it invaluable in medical and health-focused applications, reducing the spread of germs on frequently touched surfaces.
Cobalt
(Co)
Atomic Number: 27
Atomic Weight: 58.933
Cobalt is a hard, lustrous, silver-gray metal used in alloys to make powerful magnets, jet engines, and in lithium-ion batteries. It's also the source of the brilliant blue cobalt pigments.
Why It's Cool: Cobalt's use in the art world dates back to ancient civilizations for creating deep blue glass and ceramics, showcasing its enduring impact on culture and technology.
Eka-Silicon
(Germanium, Ge)
Atomic Number: 32
Atomic Weight: 72.63
Predicted by Mendeleev as "eka-silicon," germanium is a metalloid used in semiconductors, fiber optics, and infrared optics due to its unique electronic properties.
Why It's Cool: The discovery of germanium validated the predictive power of the periodic table, highlighting the deep interconnections within the field of chemistry.
Gallium
(Ga)
Atomic Number: 31
Atomic Weight: 69.723
Gallium is a soft, silvery metal that melts at just above room temperature, making it unique among metals. It's used in semiconductors and LEDs.
Why It's Cool: The fact that gallium can melt in your hand yet is used in high-tech electronics highlights the unusual and versatile properties of this element. It also will cause aluminum to become incredibly brittle.
Gold
(Au)
Atomic Number: 79
Atomic Weight: 196.967
Gold is a highly sought-after precious metal, known for its beauty, malleability, and resistance to tarnishing. It's used in jewelry, electronics, and as an investment.
Why It's Cool: The rarity and enduring value of gold have made it a cornerstone of economic systems and a symbol of wealth and power throughout human history.
Helium
(He)
Atomic Number: 2
Atomic Weight: 4.002602
Helium is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that is the second lightest and second most abundant element in the observable universe. It is known for its low boiling point and is used in cryogenics, particularly in cooling superconducting magnets in MRI scanners.
Why It's Cool: Beyond making balloons float, helium is integral to space exploration. It cools the fuel in rockets and is used in space vehicles to purge fuel and oxidizer from their engines. Its role in advancing scientific research and exploration, from enabling the Large Hadron Collider to function to launching spacecraft, highlights its extraordinary versatility.
Holmium
(Ho)
Atomic Number: 67
Atomic Weight: 164.930
Holmium is a rare earth metal with the highest magnetic strength of any element, used in nuclear reactors and in the manufacturing of certain lasers.
Why It's Cool: Its remarkable magnetic properties make holmium vital for creating the strongest artificially generated magnetic fields, crucial in scientific research and medical imaging technologies.
Hydrogen
(H)
Atomic Number: 1
Atomic Weight: 1.008
Hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe, making up about 75% of its baryonic mass. It plays a crucial role in the chemistry of life, existing in water and organic compounds.
Why It's Cool: Hydrogen's potential as a clean fuel source is groundbreaking. It can be used in fuel cells to produce electricity, emitting only water as a byproduct. This characteristic positions hydrogen at the forefront of alternative energy sources, aiming to reduce fossil fuel dependence and mitigate climate change impacts.
Iodine
(I)
Atomic Number: 53
Atomic Weight: 126.904
A nonmetallic element with a distinctive violet vapor, iodine is essential for thyroid health. It's used in medical disinfectants, photography, and as a nutrient in salt.
Why It's Cool: Iodine's ability to sublimate, transitioning directly from solid to vapor at room temperature, along with its critical role in biological systems, highlights its unique dual nature as both an essential nutrient and a key chemical tool.
Indium
(In)
Atomic Number: 49
Atomic Weight: 114.818
Indium is a soft, malleable metal with a low melting point, used in the creation of conductive indium tin oxide
(ITO) coatings for touch screens, LCDs, and solar panels.
Why It's Cool: Its role in touchscreen technology, enabling the modern era of smartphones, tablets, and interactive displays, showcases indium's importance in the advancement of digital interfaces.
Iridium
(Ir)
Atomic Number: 77
Atomic Weight: 192.217
Iridium is one of the densest elements and is highly resistant to corrosion. It's used in high-temperature materials, electrical contacts, and spark plugs.
Why It's Cool: The rarity and durability of iridium, capable of withstanding extreme environments, make it invaluable for use in devices that must endure high temperatures and corrosive conditions, such as spacecraft components.
Iron
(Fe)
Atomic Number: 26
Atomic Weight: 55.845
A key component of steel, iron is the most used of all metals, fundamental to building infrastructure, transportation, and manufacturing tools.
Why It's Cool: Iron's core role in human civilization, from the Iron Age to modern skyscrapers, alongside its cosmic origins in the hearts of dying stars, speaks to its foundational place in both our history and the universe at large.
Krpton
(Kr)
Atomic Number: 36
Atomic Weight: 83.798
Krypton is a colorless, odorless, inert gas that is found in trace amounts in the atmosphere. It is used in lighting products, such as high-powered, energy-efficient fluorescent lamps and in certain photographic flashes.
Why It's Cool: Krypton’s spectral lines are used to define the meter in terms of the speed of light. The precision of krypton-based measurements showcases the element's critical role in scientific research and standards, embodying the quest for accuracy in the physical sciences.
Lead
(Pb)
Atomic Number: 82
Atomic Weight: 207.2
Used since ancient times, lead is a dense, soft, low-melting metal historically used in pipes, paints, and glazes. Today, it's primarily used in batteries.
Why It's Cool: Despite its toxicity leading to a decrease in use, lead's historical significance in plumbing
(the word plumbing comes from plumbum, Latin for lead) and radiation shielding
underscores its enduring utility.
Lithium
(Li)
Atomic Number: 3
Atomic Weight: 6.940
The lightest metal, lithium, is used in rechargeable batteries for electronics and electric vehicles, mood-stabilizing drugs, and nuclear physics.
Why It's Cool: Lithium batteries power much of our modern life, from smartphones to electric cars, representing a crucial component in the transition to sustainable energy technologies.
Magnesium
(Mg)
Atomic Number: 12
Atomic Weight: 24.305
Magnesium is a shiny gray solid, known for its low density and high strength-to-weight ratio. It's widely used in alloying with other metals, as well as in fireworks and flares due to its bright white light when burned.
Why It's Cool: The use of magnesium in emergency fire starters and in photography
(historically) for flash photography highlights its role in producing intense light, making it indispensable for
both survival and art.
Manganese
(Mn)
Atomic Number: 25
Atomic Weight: 54.938
Manganese is a metal used mainly in steel production to improve strength, toughness, and wear resistance. It also plays a crucial role in the photosynthesis process of plants.
Why It's Cool: Its ability to "cleanse" iron ore, making steel more durable and flexible, has been pivotal in the development of modern infrastructure and machinery, showcasing the transformative power of this element in industrial applications.
Neon
(Ne)
Atomic Number: 10
Atomic Weight: 20.1797
Neon is a colorless, inert gas under standard conditions and is known for its distinctive reddish-orange glow when used in neon signs and lighting. It is found in small amounts in the Earth's atmosphere.
Why It's Cool: Neon lighting revolutionized advertising and art, bringing vibrant colors to cityscapes worldwide. The iconic neon glow, synonymous with nighttime energy in urban settings, showcases the intersection of technology and visual art, creating mesmerizing displays that have become a part of cultural identity.
Nickel
(Ni)
Atomic Number: 28
Atomic Weight: 58.693
Nickel is a lustrous, silvery-white metal used in alloys, rechargeable batteries, and as a catalyst. It's known for its corrosion resistance and its ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
Why It's Cool: The extensive use of nickel in currency and its critical role in stainless steel production underscore its value in everyday life and in maintaining the integrity of a vast range of tools and structures.
Niobium
(Nb)
Atomic Number: 41
Atomic Weight: 92.906
Niobium is a soft, gray metal used in the production of high-grade structural steel and superalloys for jet engines and rocket subassemblies.
Why It's Cool: Its ability to significantly enhance the strength of steel at low temperatures has made it a key player in advancing the aerospace industry, enabling the construction of safer, more efficient aircraft and space vehicles.
Nitrogen
(N)
Atomic Number: 7
Atomic Weight: 14.007
Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless gas that makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere. It is essential for life, being a fundamental component of amino acids and nucleic acids. Nitrogen is used in various industrial applications, including fertilizers and explosives.
Why It's Cool: Nitrogen's role in cryopreservation is fascinating. It enables the long-term preservation of blood, reproductive cells
(sperm and egg cells), and other biological samples at
cryogenic temperatures. This application is crucial for medical research, fertility treatments, and the conservation of endangered species, illustrating nitrogen's vital role in both preserving life and advancing scientific
understanding.
Osmium
(Os)
Atomic Number: 76
Atomic Weight: 190.230
Osmium is the densest naturally occurring element at 22.59 g/cm3 which is just barely shy of being twice as dense as lead (11.348 g/cm3) and is used in fountain pen tips, electrical contacts, and in alloys for its hardness and durability.
Why It's Cool: Did you miss the part where it's twice as dense as lead? This means that you have to be careful when storing it if you have a few beads of it. They're so dense that they tend to break glass or plastic containers. It's also a huge PITA to work with by itself — the melting point is over 5400° F, it's brittle, and it tends to form osmium tetroxide when heated in air which is a nasty poison.
Phosphorus
(P)
Atomic Number: 15
Atomic Weight: 30.974
A reactive, nonmetal element that exists in several allotropes, including white, red, and black phosphorus. It's used in safety matches, fertilizers, and detergents.
Why It's Cool: Phosphorus's role in living organisms, as part of DNA molecules and ATP, the energy currency of cells, highlights its fundamental importance to life, linking the worlds of chemistry and biology.
Platinum
(Pt)
Atomic Number: 78
Atomic Weight: 195.084
Platinum is a dense, malleable, and highly unreactive metal with a silvery white color. It's used in jewelry, catalytic converters, and laboratory equipment.
Why It's Cool: Its resistance to corrosion and its role in catalyzing chemical reactions without being consumed make platinum indispensable in both luxury goods and essential industrial processes, bridging aesthetics and functionality.
Quicksilver
(Mercury, Hg)
Atomic Number: 80
Atomic Weight: 200.590
Quicksilver, or mercury, is a unique metal that is liquid at room temperature. It's used in thermometers, barometers, and amalgams for dental fillings.
Why It's Cool: Mercury's liquid state at room temperature and its ability to form amalgams with other metals have made it invaluable in scientific research, medical instruments, and even alchemy, where it symbolized the fluid and changeable.
Rhenium
(Re)
Atomic Number: 75
Atomic Weight: 186.207
Rhenium is a rare, silvery-white metal used in high-temperature superalloys for jet engines and in catalysts for petroleum refining.
Why It's Cool: Its rarity and the extreme temperatures it can withstand make rhenium crucial for applications that push the boundaries of material science, such as propulsion systems for aircraft and rockets.
Rhodium
(Rh)
Atomic Number: 45
Atomic Weight: 102.906
Rhodium is a very rare, silvery-white, hard, corrosion-resistant transition metal.
Why It's Cool: It's used in catalytic converters and it's very rare. In fact aside from some gases and radioactive compounds only rhenium is more rare. It's also usually the most expensive non-radioactive element. As of late April 2024 its spot price was $155/gm (vs. gold at $75/gm).
Samarium
(Sm)
Atomic Number: 62
Atomic Weight: 150.360
Samarium is a rare earth metal used in magnets, cancer treatment, and as a catalyst in chemical reactions.
Why It's Cool: The use of samarium in strong permanent magnets and its potential in targeted cancer therapies showcases the dual nature of many elements -- integral to both cutting-edge technology and critical medical treatments.
Selenium
(Se)
Atomic Number: 34
Atomic Weight: 78.960
Selenium is a nonmetal used in photocopying, glass making, and as a dietary supplement for its antioxidant properties.
Why It's Cool: Its ability to convert light directly into electricity in photovoltaic cells, and its importance in human health, demonstrate the broad utility of this element in both technology and biology.
Silicon
(Si)
Atomic Number: 14
Atomic Weight: 28.085
Silicon is a semiconductor used in electronics, computer chips, and as a key component in solar panels.
Why It's Cool: The foundation of the digital age, silicon chips, have revolutionized technology, communication, and entertainment, making silicon arguably one of the most important elements in modern society.
Silver
(Ag)
Atomic Number: 47
Atomic Weight: 107.868
Silver is a precious metal known for its lustrous white color, high conductivity, and antimicrobial properties, used in jewelry, currency, and various industrial applications.
Why It's Cool: Beyond its aesthetic and monetary value, silver's use in water purification, wound dressings, and as a natural antibiotic showcases its vital role in health and hygiene, illustrating how ancient treasures can serve modern needs.
Tin
(Sn)
Atomic Number: 50
Atomic Weight: 118.710
Tin is a soft, malleable metal often used in alloys such as bronze
(with copper) and solder
(with lead or other metals), crucial in joining electrical circuits
and components.
Why It's Cool: Tin's use in creating bronze marked a significant technological leap in human history, leading to the Bronze Age. Its role in modern electronics as solder underscores its continued importance in technology.
Tungsten
(W)
Atomic Number: 74
Atomic Weight: 183.840
Known for having the highest melting point of all metals, tungsten is used in light bulb filaments, cutting tools, and as weights and counterweights.
Why It's Cool: Its ability to withstand extreme temperatures makes tungsten invaluable for applications requiring durability and resistance to thermal expansion, from illuminating homes to exploring space.
Uranium
(U)
Atomic Number: 92
Atomic Weight: 238.029
A dense, radioactive metal used as fuel in nuclear power plants and in the manufacture of nuclear weapons. It's also used for dating rocks and archaeological finds.
Why It's Cool: Uranium's capacity to provide a substantial amount of clean energy
(despite the controversies surrounding nuclear power) and its role in unlocking the history of our planet through
radiometric dating highlight its dual nature as both a boon and a risk.
Vanadium
(V)
Atomic Number: 23
Atomic Weight: 50.942
A hard, silvery-grey metal, vanadium is used to make steel alloys stronger and more durable. It's also found in batteries and some chemical reactions as a catalyst.
Why It's Cool: The strength that vanadium lends to steel allows for constructions and machinery that are both lighter and stronger, demonstrating how the addition of a single element can dramatically change material properties.
Xenon
(Xe)
Atomic Number: 54
Atomic Weight: 131.293
Xenon is a heavy, colorless, and odorless noble gas found in trace amounts in the Earth's atmosphere. It is used in light-emitting devices called xenon arc lamps, which produce a bright white light, and in medical imaging.
Why It's Cool: Xenon has remarkable anesthetic properties, providing a safe and effective option for patients undergoing surgery, especially those at risk of heart and brain complications. Moreover, its use in the propulsion systems of satellites and spacecraft as ion propulsion showcases its critical role in advancing space exploration. The ability of xenon to serve both in medical fields and as a driving force in exploring the cosmos highlights its versatility and the boundless potential of noble gases. This dual role exemplifies how xenon, a seemingly inert and unreactive element, contributes significantly to cutting-edge technologies and human health, marking it as a substance of both scientific marvel and practical utility.
Ytterbium
(Yb)
Atomic Number: 70
Atomic Weight: 173.045
A rare earth metal used in certain steels and as a doping agent in fiber optic cables to increase the efficiency of data transmission.
Why It's Cool: Ytterbium's applications in improving laser technology and enhancing the performance of optical fibers underscore its contribution to advancing telecommunications, making global connectivity faster and more reliable.
Zinc
(Zn)
Atomic Number: 30
Atomic Weight: 65.380
A corrosion-resistant metal used in the galvanization of iron and steel to protect them from rusting. Zinc is also important in biology as an essential trace element.
Why It's Cool: Beyond its protective role in infrastructure, zinc's crucial function in human health, including immune function and wound healing, demonstrates the intricate connections between the elements and life.
Zirconium
(Zr)
Atomic Number: 40
Atomic Weight: 91.224
A greyish-white metal resistant to corrosion and high temperatures, used in nuclear reactors, dental implants, and jewelry
(as cubic zirconia).
Why It's Cool: Zirconium's role in enabling the safe operation of nuclear reactors, due to its low absorption of neutrons, alongside its use in creating diamond-like jewels, illustrates its versatility across high-tech and aesthetic applications.