THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS 1 With well over one hundred elements, scientists organise them into groups based on the way they behave. You may have noticed that the colour of some of Discover more in 18 This is called the periodic table. It is just one of several ways that the elements can be arranged, and makes the elements at the end of the table don’t match The Extraordinary 1 1.008 2 4.003 navigating the building blocks of the Universe simpler. Each tile on this table represents one of the 118 any of the colours in the key. This is because they Elements © Big Picture elements that we know of so far, colour-coded into groups that have similar properties. Vertical columns in are so unstable they disappear in the blink of an Press 2020 Written the table are known as ‘groups’ (numbered 1-18) with the mass of an atom increasing as you move down a eye after being created! This makes it incredibly by Colin Stuart, with I H He group. Horizontal rows are known as ‘periods’ (labelled I - VII). Elements get heavier as you move from left difficult to study their properties and accurately illustrations by to right along each period. A new electron shell is added each time you move down a period. identify which group they should belong to. Ximo Abadia Hydrogen Helium The element that fuels Lighter than air, this makes the majority of stars. 2 13 14 15 16 17 zeppelins float. 3 6.94 4 9.012 KEY TO GROUPS: HOW TO USE THE TABLE: 5 10.81 6 12.011 7 14.007 8 15.999 9 18.998 10 20.18 Li Be B N O Ne II F The average mass of the element’s C Alkali Metals Reactive Non-metals isotopes as found in nature. 10 4.003

Atomic number, shows the number of Lithium Beryllium Alkali-Earth Metals Halogens protons present in the nucleus. Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Flourine Neon Creates the red colour Used in weather monitoring Used in armour plating and One arrangement creates Crucial to fertilisers used Three minutes without Used in toothpaste and Creates the iconic red glow in fireworks. satellites. Ne bulletproof vests. pencil leads. in crop growth. oxygen is fatal. water sanitation. of neon signs. Elements have a one or two letter 11 22.9912 24.305 Transition Metals Noble Gases symbol, to save space. 13 26.982 14 28.085 15 30.974 16 32.06 17 35.45 18 39.95

Post-Transition Metals Lanthanides The full name of the element. Na Si Cl III Mg Neon Al S Ar Description of the properties and uses Creates the iconic P Metalloids Actinides that make the element’s character. glow of neon signs.

Sodium Magnesium Aluminium Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon Used in baking as sodium A key component of Found in cars, cans and A key material used in Makes the flammable head One of the fundamental Used to clean pools and Found in fluorescent and bicarbonate. chlorophyll in plants. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 white paints. computer chips. of matches. elements in alchemy. water sources. incandescent lighting.

19 39.09820 40.078 21 44.956 22 47.86723 50.94224 51.99625 54.93826 55.84527 58.93328 58.69329 63.546 30 1.008 31 4.003 32 4.003 33 4.003 34 4.003 35 4.003 36 4.003

Ca Sc V Co Ni Zn Ge As Br IV K Ti Cr Mn Fe Cu Ga Kr Se

Potassium Calcium Scandium Titanium Vanadium Chromium Manganese Iron Cobalt Nickel Copper Zinc Gallium Germanium Arsenic Selenium Bromine Krypton Found in bananas and Medics use calcium sulfate Used in lightweight sports Super strong and light, An alloy of vanadium is Chromium compounds come Manganese pigments were Super strong and found in red Considered a ‘goblin’ by miners Found in electric guitar strings, A good conductor of electricity, Combined with copper, Named after Gallia, the Named after Germany and Infamously toxic and associated The ingredient that makes Found in seawater and used A gas that shares a similar vital to human life. as plaster. equipment. used in aircraft. found in jet engines. in a rainbow of colours. used in cave paintings. blood cells. who often mistook it for silver. creating a distinctive sound. often found in wires. this forms brass. Latin name for France. used in optical devices. with many famous deaths. skunk spray so potent. in firefighter uniforms. name to Superman’s kryptonite.

37 85.468 38 87.62 39 88.906 40 91.22441 92.906 42 95.95 43 9844 101.0745 102.90646 106.4247 107.86848 112.414 49 114.818 50 118.71 51 121.76 52 127.6 53 126.904 54 131.293

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Rh Pd Ag Cd Sb Te I Xe V In Sn Ru

Rubidium Strontium Zirconium Niobium Molybdenum Technetium Ruthenium Rhodium Palladium Silver Cadmium Indium Tin Antimony Tellurium Iodine Xenon An excellent detector of A silvery metal often Known as the ‘oxygen thief’ Resistant to corrosion, this is Named after the Greek goddess It is impossible to digest The first element to be Sourced in Russia, it is one Named after the Greek word Named after Pallas, one of One of the first precious metals, Gives its name to cadmium Important for touchscreen In folklore, tin whistles are Used as black kohl eyeliner Named after the Latin word Discovered among seaweed, A common component used cancerous cells. used in TV sets. for dissolving oxygen. often used in surgeons’ tools. Niobe. Often found with tantalum food without this. manufactured by humans. of the rarest metals for ‘rose’ due to its pink hue. the largest asteroids. often used in cameras. pigments used in paint. technology and LCDs. associated with witches. in ancient Egypt. for ‘Earth’ and highly toxic. and essential to human diets. to power spacecraft engines.

55 132.90556 137.327 57–71 72 178.4973 180.94874 183.8475 186.20776 190.2377 192.21778 195.08479 196.96780 200.592 81 204.38 82 207.2 83 208.98 84 209 85 210 86 222 Po Ba Pb Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Au Hg Tl Bi At Rn VI Cs Pt

Caesium Barium Hafnium Tantalum Tungsten Rhenium Osmium Iridium Platinum Gold Mercury Thallium Lead Bismuth Polonium Astantine Radon Atomic caesium clocks are When swallowed, abnormalities Useful for space rocket engines Named after the unfortunate The chemical symbol ‘W’ comes Difficult to find, this is known Used in pacemakers and Geologists use this to An expensive metal is used in One of the most desirable Liquid at room temperature, Often used in infrared optics, This toxic element was used as Shimmery, pearl-like powder Its radioactive heat is used Dangerously radioactive, Radiation from this element the most accurate on Earth. on X-rays appear clearly. due to its high melting point. Greek god Tantalus. from the German word for wolf. as the ‘invisible element’. replacement heart valves. evidence mass extinction. jewellery and dental fillings. metals on Earth. suited for use in thermometers. such as night vision goggles. makeup by Queen Elizabeth I. often found in cosmetics. to power Mars rovers. and the rarest natural element. can damage DNA.

87 223 87 226 89–103 104 267 105 268 106 269 107 270 108 269 109 278 110 281 111 280 112 285 113 286 114 289 115 289 116 293 117 294 118 294

Ra Bh Fr Rf Db Sg Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Nh Fl Lv Ts Og VII Mc

Francium Radium Rutherfordium Dubnium Seaborgium Bohrium Hassium Meitnerium Darmstadtium Roentgenium Copernicium Nihonium Flerovium Moscovium Livermorium Tennessine Oganesson Discovered by French Its radiance was often used Named after Ernest Rutherford, Named after Russian town Named after Glenn Seaborg, Named after physicist Named for the German state Named after the Austrian Named after Darmstadt, Named after German physicist Named after the Renaissance The name refers to the Named after Georgy Flerov who Its name refers to Moscow, Named after the Lawrence The name refers to the US Named for Russian nuclear physicist, Marguerite Perey. for glow-in-the-dark objects. who studied atomic structure. Dubna, home to Joint Institute who in part discovered ten Niels Bohr who studied of Hesse where the Heavy Ion physicist Lise Meitner. Germany, where the element Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. scientist Nicolaus Copernicus. Japanese name for Japan. founded the Joint Institute for where the Joint Institute of Livermore National state of Tennessee. physicist Yuri Oganessian. for Nuclear Research. transuranic elements. atomic structure. Research centre is based. was first produced. Nuclear Research. Nuclear Research is based. Laboratory. USA. SUPER HEAVY ELEMENTS

There are so many 57 138.905 58 140.116 59 140.908 60 144.242 61 145 62 150.36 63 151.964 64 157.25 65 158.925 66 162.5 67 164.93 68 167.259 69 168.934 70 173.045 71 174.967 This group of elements in two periods elements are Tb (VI and VII) that a group Lu super heavy VI Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Dy Ho Er Tm Yb from each of these La Ce (hence the periods has been moved heavy metal to the bottom of the table Lanthanum Cerium Neodymium Promethium Samarium Europium Gadolinium Terbium Dysprosium Erbium Ytterbium Lutetium reference) to stop it becoming too Extensively used in cinema This sparks when heated and A key ingredient in some Neodymium alloy magnets are Named after Prometheus, who Used to motor the first Used in printing euro bank Found in components used The control rods in nuclear Commonly used for wind Named after , it has Commonly used in fibre optic Discovered in Viking heartland, Named after Ytterby, where Named after Lutetia, they are projectors. is therefore used in lighters. lamps used by film studios. the strongest in the world. stole fire in Greek mythology. solar-powered plane. notes to prevent counterfeiting. in nuclear reactors. submarines are made of this. turbine engines. the highest magnetic strength. cables to amplify broadband. and named by Per Teodor Cleve. four elements were found. the Latin word for Paris. wide. This makes it much difficult to 89 227 90 232.038 91 231.036 92 238.029 93 237 94 244 95 243 96 247 97 247 98 251 99 252 100 257 101 258 102 259 103 262 easier to fit onto posters produce, just like this one! The Pu dangerous groups that are moved to Ac Am Cm Es Fm Md No Lr and unstable Th Np Bk Cf the bottom are called the VII U so they have lanthanides and actinides Pa few practical (named after the first Actinium Protactinium Uranium Neptunium Plutonium Americium Curium Berkelium Californium Einsteinium Fermium Mendelevium Nobelium Lawrencium uses outside This rare element glows blue Named after Thor, Norse god Useful for various Named after the planet Uranus, Named after the planet Named after the planet Pluto Named after the Americas, Named after Pierre and Named after Berkeley, the Also discovered at Berkeley, Named in honour of Albert Named after Enrico Fermi, Named after Mendeleev, Named after Alfred Nobel, Named after American element in each group). in the dark. of war and thunder. geological processes. used in nuclear weapons. Neptune, can spontaneously and used as fuel for robotic used in smoke detectors. Marie Curie who researched Californian city where it was and used in some cancer Einstein and incredibly rare. who designed the first father of the periodic table. the creator of the . physicist Ernest Lawrence. of research. catch fire. spacecraft. radioactivity. discovered. treatments. nuclear reactor.