T he Chemis t ry of Mat t er

1. The Chemistry of Matter Abel’s Elements To Know

2. Quick Facts • Atomic Number = number of protons • 298 K = room temperature (25o C) • These are some of the most common or useful or interesting elements on Earth.

3. Hydrogen • Atomic Number: 1 • Standard state: gas at 298 K (the lightest gas known) • Colour: colourless • Facts: highly flammable, makes up 90% of universe by weight

4. Helium • Atomic Number: 2 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: unreactive Noble gas, 2nd most abundant element in universe

5. Lithium • Atomic Number: 3 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery • Facts: mixed w/aluminum & magnesium for light-weight alloys; also used in batteries, greases, glasses, and in medicine.

6. Beryllium • Atomic Number: 4 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery • Facts: high melting point. At ordinary temperatures, beryllium resists oxidation in air. Cpds are very toxic; ability to scratch glass. Aquamarine and emerald are precious forms of the mineral beryl.

7. Boron • Atomic Number: 5 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery-black • Facts: semiconductor; chemically closer to silicon than to aluminium, gallium, indium, and thallium. Crystalline boron is inert chemically and resistant to attack by boiling HF or HCl.

8. Carbon • Atomic Number: 6 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: several forms, including gray graphite and clear diamond • Facts: component of all cells; present in atmosphere & dissolved in all natural waters; component of many rocks

9. Nitrogen • Atomic Number: 7 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: makes up ~78% of Earth’s atmosphere; its compounds are vital components of foods, fertilizers, and explosives.

10. Oxygen • Atomic Number: 8 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless (pale blue as liquid, right) • Facts: highly reactive; required for respiration and most combustion; ozone is O3

11. Fluorine • Atomic Number: 9 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: pale yellow gas • Facts: most reactive of all elements; highly toxic; corrosive gas which reacts with practically all organic and inorganic substances (including Noble gases xenon, radon, and krypton).

12. Neon • Atomic Number: 10 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: very inert element; in vacuum discharge tube, neon glows reddish orange

13. Sodium • Atomic Number: 11 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery white metal • Facts: essential to animal nutrition; component of table salt (halite)

14. Magnesium • Atomic Number: 12 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: grayish-white metal • Facts: chlorophylls are based upon magnesium.

15. Aluminum • Atomic Number: 13 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery-white metal • Facts: light, nonmagnetic, nonsparking; easily formed, machined, and cast; not found free in nature (refined from bauxite ore)

16. Silicon • Atomic Number: 14 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: dark gray semi-metallic • Facts: makes up ~25% of Earth’s crust by weight, second most abundant element on Earth, used in computers as semi-conductor

17. Phosphorus • Atomic Number: 15 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: non-metallic, colourless/red/silvery-white • Facts: essential component of nervous tissue, bones and cell protoplasm; insoluble in water; spontaneously catches fire in air.

18. Sulfur • Atomic Number: 16 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: non-metallic lemon yellow • Facts: brittle, insoluble in water; component of sulfuric acid (most impt. manufactured chemical in world)

19. Chlorine • Atomic Number: 17 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: greenish yellow • Facts: combines directly with nearly all elements; commonly found as halite (table salt); used to produce safe drinking water

20. Argon • Atomic Number: 18 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: odourless gas present to very small extent in atmosphere. Is very inert, not known to form true chemical compounds. Makes good atmosphere for working w/air-sensitive materials since it is heavier than air and less reactive than N2.

21. Potassium • Atomic Number: 19 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery white • Facts: 7th most abundant element of Earth’s crust; essential for plant, animal growth; never found free in nature

22. Calcium • Atomic Number: 20 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: silvery metal • Facts: 5th most abundant element in Earth’s crust; essential to plant & animal growth; commonly found in limestone, gypsum, & fluorite (not found alone)

23. Iron • Atomic Number: 26 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: lustrous grayish metal • Facts: cheapest, most abundant, useful, & important of all metals; component of hemoglobin; common building material

24. Copper • Atomic Number: 29 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: reddish metal with bright luster • Facts: malleable, ductile, good conductor of heat & electricity (second to silver); alloys include brass and bronze

25. Zinc • Atomic Number: 30 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: bluish-white, lustrous metal • Facts: essential element for growth; used in galvanizing (“rust-proofing”) iron/steel and in lightweight coins

26. Krypton • Atomic Number: 36 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: present in air at about 1 ppm (also found on Mars); in 1960, length of meter defined by wavelength of Krypton-33

27. Silver • Atomic Number: 47 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: brilliant white metal • Facts: very ductile and malleable; excellent conductor of heat & electricity; used in jewelry, photography, dental alloys, batteries, mirror production, coinage

28. Iodine • Atomic Number: 53 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: violet-dark grey, lustrous • Facts: forms cpds with most elements, but is less reactive than other halogens; exhibits some metallic-like properties; very useful in medicine and photography

29. Gold • Atomic Number: 79 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: yellow metal • Facts: most malleable and ductile metal; unaffected by air; used for jewelry, coinage, electronics, dentistry, medical implants, treatment of arthritis, cancer, & other conditions

30. Lead • Atomic Number: 82 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: dull silver metal • Facts: very soft, highly malleable, ductile, relatively poor conductor of electricity; very resistant to corrosion but tarnishes upon exposure to air; lead pipes bearing insignia of Roman emperors, used as drains from the baths, are still in service; alloys include pewter, solder.

31. Radon • Atomic Number: 86 • Standard state: gas at 298 K • Colour: colourless • Facts: heaviest known gas; second leading cause of lung cancer in US; main hazard is from inhalation of radon gas collected on dust in the air

32. Uranium • Atomic Number: • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: metallic gray • Facts: used in nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons; is not particularly rare

33. Americium • Atomic Number: 95 • Standard state: solid at 298 K • Colour: brilliant silvery white • Facts: a component of smoke detectors; radioactive; named after America

34. There are about 90 more elements…later…