element

Beryllium

Beryllium

What is Beryllium? Beryllium is a silvery-white metal that is the fourth element on the periodic table. Beryllium is often used in alloys with copper and nickel to make things like springs, electrical contacts, and electrodes. It’s often used in alloy form because of how soft the metal is naturally.   Beryllium’s Place in the Periodic Table Beryllium is named after the Greek name for be... »

Palladium

Palladium

What is Palladium? Palladium is a shiny silver metal.  It is a transition metal that is located with the other transition metals in the middle of the periodic table (the d-block). Palladium is most commonly used in jewelry, in catalytic converters for cars, in the electronics industry, and as a catalyst in scientific research.             Palladium’s Place in th... »

Barium

Barium

What is Barium? Barium is the 56th element on the periodic table and is a silvery alkaline earth metal. It is incredibly light for a metal and can be ground into a white powder. Barium can be found in fireworks, and is commonly used to help doctors read specific diagnostic X-rays more clearly.   Barium’s Place in the Periodic Table Barium was named as such after it was purified from the... »

Selenium

Selenium

What is Selenium? Selenium is the 34th element on the periodic table and is in group 16, the chalcogens. Selenium’s form can change rather drastically based upon its intended use and temperature preparation. When used for chemical reactions it appears as a brick-red powder, but it can also appear black or grey. It is a rather rare element and is used for a large variety of reactions and processes.... »

Rubidium

Rubidium

What is Rubidium? Rubidium is an alkali metal that is shiny gray in appearance. It is highly reactive and must be protected from air and water for storage.  It has uses that take advantage of its chemical and physical properties, including atomic clocks, medical imaging, and solar power.   Rubidium’s Place in the Periodic Table Rubidium is an alkali metal in group 1 and period 5. They a... »

Potassium

Potassium

What is Potassium? Potassium is a solid alkali metal that is the 19th element of the periodic table. It usually looks like a silvery-white powder or solid and is a very common element for a lot of reasons. Potassium is an essential nutrient for humans as well as an electrolyte, so it plays a big part in a lot of biological processes. It can also be found in some fertilizers and it’s important for ... »

Manganese

What is Manganese? Manganese is a silvery metal. It is found on the periodic table with the transition metals, and resembles iron. It has the largest number of stable isotopes of any element. It was a component of pigments used by Stone Age people to draw cave paintings over 30,000 years ago. Today, it is used in alloys of iron and aluminum, in pigments, and in batteries. It is also essential to l... »

Promethium

Promethium

What is Promethium? Promethium is a lanthanide metal. It has a lustrous metallic appearance. It is radioactive and can emit X-rays. It is used in the production of luminous paints, atomic batteries, and calibrations of measurements of thickness.   Promethium’s Place in the Periodic Table Promethium is a lanthanide metal in period 6. Lanthanides have atomic numbers of 57 to 71, and are f... »

Sodium

Sodium

What is Sodium? Sodium is the 11th element of the periodic table and is a solid, silver alkali metal. In its pure form it can be a very light sliver solid, but it is much more commonly viewed as the small white crystals of regular table salt. Salt is commonly used to flavor food and to treat icy roads, but sodium is also found in things like baking soda and the vapor that makes traffic lights yell... »

Silver

Silver

What is ELEM? Silver is a transition metal that is located with the other transition metals in the middle of the periodic table (the d-block). At room temperature, Silver is most notable for its uses in jewelry, photography, and electronic circuits. Stay tuned because, as one of the first metals every utilized by humans, silver has a rich history!         ELEM’s Place in ... »