   
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, making up around 90% of the universe. It is also the lightest. Hydrogen used to be used in lighter than air blimps, but was abandoned, as it is extremely flammable.  
Helium is the second most abundant element in the universe. It is one of the noble gases, and is inert. Helium has replaced hydrogen for use in blimps, since it does not burn. There is practically no helium in the Earth's atmosphere, as it is so light it has all escaped. Helium is obtained from natural gas wells. The helium is produced by the radioactive decay of uranium and thorium deep within the Earth, since a helium nucleus is the same as an alpha particle. Helium has interesting superfluid properties at extremely low temperatures. 
Lithium, one of the alkali metals, is extremely reactive. It is used in batteries, and is often alloyed with aluminum, due to its light weight. 
Beryllium is found in emeralds and the mineral Aquamarine. Beryllium is obtained from the ore beryl.  
Boron is a semiconductor, and is inert chemically in its crystalline state. The most common sources of boron are tourmaline, borax, and kernite. 
Free carbon occurs free in nature in three forms: amorphous, graphite, and diamond. Graphite is one of the softest known materials, while a diamond is one of the hardest. Buckminsterfullerene is a new form of carbon, C60. Carbon also occurs in the Earth's atmosphere as carbon dioxide, and as many minerals in the Earth's crust.  
Nitrogen comprises 78% of the Earth's atmosphere by volume. Compounds of nitrogen are important for fertilizers, and also explosives. Nitrogen is obtained by liquefying air. 
Oxygen makes up around 20% of the Earth's atmosphere, and is essential to life. Ozone (O3) exists in the upper atmosphere, and blocks ultraviolet light. It is formed from O2, produced by ultraviolet light and lightning. Oxygen is obtained by liquefying air. 
Fluorine is the most electronegative and reactive of all the elements, reacting with practically all substances, even forming compounds with noble gases. 
Neon is probably best known as the gas inside many neon lights. One of the noble gases, neon is inert. Small amounts of neon exist in the Earth's atmosphere, and it is obtained by liquefying air. 
Sodium is an extremely reactive metal, essential for nutrition. It is present as table salt (NaCl), and found in the ocean, and salt mines. It is commonly obtained by extraction from salt. 
Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element found in the Earth's crust. It burns with an extremely bright flame. There are large amounts of magnesium as a salt in seawater (magnesium chloride), and this is the major source of the element. 
Aluminum is a light metal, abundant in the Earth's crust, but rarely found free in nature. Its alloys are commonly used, but pure aluminum is soft. When first discovered, it was extremely expensive, and European nobility sometimes ate using aluminum flatware. The top of the Washington Monument is capped with aluminum, obtained from gemstones. It is obtained by refining bauxite. 
Silicon is the second most abundant element, making up 26% of the Earth's crust by weight. As a semiconductor, silicon is extremely important. Silicon is obtained from silica. 
Phosphorus is found in several allotropic forms: white, red, and black. It is essential for animal life. Phosphorus is usually obtained by heating phosphate, along with carbon and sand, in a furnace.   
Sulfur is found in its native form in nature, as well as in hot springs, minerals such as galena and gypsum, and in meteorites. Sulfur dioxide is a component of air pollution, and is a cause of acid raid. It is essential to life. Many of its compounds are, however, toxic.  
Chlorine is an extremely reactive gas. Breathing it causes irritation, and it also causes skin burns, hence it's use during the first World War. The odor is extremely strong, and small concentrations are often fatal. It is part of table salt (NaCl), from which it is often obtained. 
Argon is one of the noble gases, and is inert. It is often used to provide an inert atmosphere. About 1% of the Earth's atmosphere is made up of argon, and it is obtained as a by-product of air liquefaction.  
Potassium, an extremely reactive metal, is the seventh most common abundant element, making up over 1% of the Earth's crust. It is necessary for plant growth, and is a component of most fertilizers. It's also an essential nutrient, deficiencies can cause muscle cramps. It is usually obtained from potassium salt (KCl). One of the isotopes is a long lived radioisotope, and a small bottle of salt substitute (KCl) is slightly radioactive. 
Calcium makes up over 3% of the Earth's crust, making it the fifth most abundant element. It is essential to bone development in animals. In nature, calcium is found in limestone and gypsum. 
Scandium is a soft metal. It is less abundant here on Earth than in the stars and Sun. It is obtained from the mineral thortveitite, and also as a by-product from uranium ore. 
Titanium is a light, strong metal, often used in aircraft and structures. It is considered inert enough to be used in human implants. Titanium burns in air, and even nitrogen, and is used in fireworks.  
Vanadium is a soft, ductile metal, resistant to most acids and corrosion. It is commonly used in stainless steel alloys.  
Chromium is a hard metal, which polishes well. In addition to use in stainless steel alloys, it also is used as a paint pigment. Chromium compounds are toxic. It is often obtained from the ore chromite. 
Manganese is a brittle and hard metal, and is reactive. It is often used in steel alloys. The ocean floors contain substantial amounts of manganese. 
Iron is a commonly used metal, the principal component of steel. It is found throughout the universe. Iron is considered the most stable of all elements. It is magnetic. In the human body, it is responsible for transporting oxygen, as hemoglobin. It is obtained from iron oxide, through reduction in a blast furnace.  
Cobalt is a hard and brittle betal. Like, iron, it too is magnetic. Cobalt has been found in meteorites. While it exists in many minerals in nature, it is often obtained as a by-product of nickel and copper production. 
Nickel is a hard, ductile, and malleable metal. It too is magnetic. It is often found in meteorites. It is used (along with copper) for coinage in the US. It is obtained from nickel oxide ores. 
Copper is a very ductile, malleable, and soft metal. It was one of the first metals used by man. It is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. Commonly used alloys include bronze and brass, which are much stronger than pure copper. In addition to ores, copper is also found native.  
Zinc is a brittle metal, which becomes malleable at higher temperatures. It is commonly used as a coating on steel, to provide protection from corrosion. It is commonly obtained from sulfide ores.  
Gallium is a metal, one of the few that is liquid at or near room temperature. It is used with the semiconductor arsenic in the manufacture of high speed electronic circuits, and light emitting diodes. Gallium is obtained as a by-product of aluminum refining.  
Germanium is a semiconductor. It was a widely used semiconductor, though it was replaced by silicon in the 1960's. It is making something of a comeback, due to its advantages in low voltage circuitry.  
Arsenic is brittle element, used with gallium in the manufacture of semiconductors. It and its compounds are quite toxic; arsenic is the classic poison. Arsenic is found in minerals such as arsenolite, and arsenpyrite, from which it is obtained by heating in the absence of air.  
Selenium has been used in the electronics industry. The element is generally nontoxic, however several compounds, such as hydrogen selenide, are extremely toxic. Certain plants, such as locoweed, have a tendency to take selenium out of the soil, and can be harmful to animals and livestock feeding on them. It us usually obtained as a by-product of copper refining.  
Bromine, a halogen, is the only nonmetallic element that is a liquid. The vapor irritates the eyes, throat, and skin, and has a strong odor, making it a serious health hazard. Bromine is present as a salt in seawater, and is obtained from it by the use of chlorine.  
Krypton is one of the noble gases. The meter is officially defined as 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of the orange-red line of krypton.  It is present in the air in very small quantities, about 1 ppm, from which it is obtained by liquefaction.  
Rubidium is a metal that is a liquid when slightly above room temperature. It violently reacts with water, and spontaneously burns in the air. It is obtained by reactions of sodium with the salt rubidium chloride.  
Strontium is a soft metal, which spontaneously burns in the air. Strontium salts, from which the element can be obtained, are often used in fireworks, where they produce a bright red color. 
Yttrium is a metal; the shavings can burn in the air. It is used picture tubes as a phosphor to produce the color red. 
Zirconium is a metal, which is sometimes used in aluminum alloys.  
Niobium, formerly called columbium, is a shiny, ductile, and soft metal.  
Molybdenum is a hard transition metal. It is used in certain steel alloys. It is usually obtained during the production of copper. 
Technetium is a man-made element. It is often used in medical research, and is produced in nuclear reactors. It is never found on Earth, but has been found in some stars. 
Ruthenium is a hard metal, which is not affected by acids. It is generally used as a catalyst for certain reactions. Ruthenium is commonly found in ores along with precious metals.  
Rhodium is a hard and durable metal, which is used as a catalyst in some reactions. It is often found in ores along with precious metals. 
Palladium is a soft, ductile metal. Interestingly, it can absorb up to 900 times its own volume of hydrogen. This was the basis for the rather dubious claims of cold fusion several years ago. It is often found in ores along with platinum.  
Silver is one of the precious metals, used by man for over 5,000 years. It has the highest thermal and electrical conductivity. During the second World War, the generator windings of Hoover dam were replaced with silver wire, made from the US silver reserves, to free up copper for the war effort.  
Cadmium is a very soft metal, with characteristics similar to zinc. Cadmium and its compounds are quite toxic.  
Indium is a very soft metal, often used in making alloys with low melting points. It is produced as a by-product of zinc and lead production. 
Tin has been used by man since ancient times. It is often plated on steel for rust protection. 
Antimony is a flaky metal that is also extremely brittle. It, as well as its compounds, are toxic. It is used in the steel industry. Antimony is obtained from several minerals, including ullmanite and stibnite. 
Tellurium is a brittle semiconductor. It is sometimes used in light sensitive detectors. Tellurium is often obtained as a by-product of the copper industry. 
Iodine is solid that sublimes to a noxious violet-blue gas at room temperature. Iodine is necessary for health, table salt has iodine added to make sure people get enough in their diet. Nuclear fallout contains a radioactive isotope of iodine, which is taken in by the human body. Most iodine comes from seawater. Certain seaweeds are rich in iodine. 
The most dense of all non-radioactive gases, xenon is frequently used in ionization chambers to detect radiation. It is obtained as a by-product from the liquefaction of air. 
Cesium is a ductile, soft metal, that is liquid at room temperature.  
Barium is a soft metal, often used as a pigment in paint, and in glass. 
Lanthanum is a ductile, malleable rare-earth metal that is extremely soft. It is used to make flints for lighters. 
Cerium is a reactive rare-earth metal that is malleable. It will decompose in water. It is obtained from minerals such as monazite and cerite. 
Praseodymium is a ductile, soft, and malleable rare-earth metal that corrodes in the air, requiring storage in oil or an inert gas. It is often used to make flints for lighters. Praseodymium obtained from several minerals, including monazite.  
Neodymium is a reactive rare-earth metal, which quickly tarnishes in the air. 
Promethium is a radioactive rare-earth metal. It is often used in the nuclear gauging industry for measuring paper and thin plastics and coatings. Promethium salts glow blue/green in the dark. Promethium is not naturally occurring on Earth, it is made in nuclear reactors. 
Samarium is a rare-earth metal which ignites in the air at temperatures above 150  C. It has uses in the electronics industry. 
Europium is a reactive rare-earth metal which ignites in the air at elevated temperatures. It is often used to produce the color red in television picture tubes. 
Gadolinium is a ferromagnetic rare-earth element.  
Terbium is a very soft rare-earth metal, which is also ductile and malleable.  
Dysprosium is a rare-earth metal that is very soft.  
Holmium is a rather soft and malleable rare-earth metal, with some interesting magnetic properties.  
Erbium is a malleable and soft rare-earth metal. 
Thulium is the least abundant of all the rare-earth metals found on Earth. It is ductile and malleable, and very soft. 
Ytterbium is a malleable, soft, and ductile rare-earth metal.  
Lutetium is a metal that has only recently been isolated.  
Hafnium is a ductile metal, which is very difficult to separate. It is often used in the nuclear power industry, due it its mechanical properties, large thermal neutron cross section, and corrosion resistance. 
Tantalum is a very hard and dense metal, with a high melting point. It is impervious to all but a few acids. 
Tungsten is an extremely hard metal with the highest melting point of any metal. Alloys are often used for machining tools and bits. 
Rhenium is a metal with a very high melting point, typically used in alloys with other metals. 
Osmium is an extremely hard and brittle metal, with a high melting point. Osmium tetroxide is toxic. 
Iridium is a hard and brittle metal, with the most resistance to corrosion of any metal. It was used to make the standard meter bar, housed in Paris. A worldwide layer of iridium buried underground first led scientists to the theory that a meteorite struck the Earth 65 million years ago, wiping out the dinosaurs. 
Platinum is a malleable and ductile metal, one of the so-called precious metals. It does not oxidize in air. 
Gold is a soft precious metal, used for jewelry and plating electronic contacts, since it does not oxidize in the air. Is more malleable and ductile than any other metal. A rare metal, all of the gold ever refined could fit in a cube about 20 meters on a side, weighing about 150,000 metric tons.  
Mercury, also called quicksilver, is the only common metal which is liquid at room temperature. It is usually obtained from cinnabar ore, HgS. Mercury is toxic, as are its fumes. It used to be commonly used in thermometers, but has been replaced by colored alcohol.  
Thallium is a very soft and malleable metal. It, as well as its compounds, is toxic, and believed to cause cancer. 
Lead is a highly malleable, very soft, and ductile metal. It is used in alloys such as pewter and in electrical solder. Lead was used in ancient Roman plumbing systems, and even as recently as earlier this century, although it was phased out due to toxicity. Lead was also used in some paints, and used to be used as an anti-knock additive in gasoline. Lead is the final decay product of many heavy radioactive elements.  
Bismuth is a brittle metal, a poor conductor of heat. It is the heaviest stable element.  
Polonium is a hightly radioactive element, discovered by the Curies. It was named after Poland. 
Astatine is not a very well understood element, the half-life of the longest lived isotope is only 8 hours. It is a halogen.  
Radon is a radioactive gas, formed by the decay of uranium. Often seeping into homes, excessive radon levels can cause cancer. Radon itself is not the problem, as it is an inert gas. But several decay products form a dust, which can be inhaled and deposit on lung tissue. 
Francium is a radioactive element, with short-lived isotopes. It has not been isolated into large quantities. Francium is formed from the alpha decay of actinium. 
Radium is a highly radioactive element, formed as a result of the decay of uranium. Several decades ago, it was painted into luminescent clock hands, giving many of the workers cancer of the mouth, since they would form the paintbrush tips with their lips.  
Actinium is a radioactive element, often found in uranium ores. 
Thorium is a radioactive element, more common than uranium. It could be used a source of power. It used to be used in camping lantern mantles, due to its high melting point. The decay of thorium and uranium is believed to be the source of much of the Earth's internal heat. 
Protactinium is a rare radioactive element. It is also quite toxic, similar to plutonium. It is commonly found in pitchblende and other uranium ores. 
Uranium is a radioactive element, used for nuclear power and nuclear weapons. It is the heaviest naturally occurring element. 
Neptunium is a synthesized radioactive element, produced in nuclear reactors. 
Plutonium is a synthesized radioactive element, useful in both nuclear power and weapons applications. Interestingly, some plutonium was produced about 3 billion years ago in a naturally occurring nuclear reactor in Africa. 
Americium is a synthesized radioactive element, produced in nuclear reactors. It is often used in nuclear gauging applications to measure the thickness of metals in rolling mills.  
Curium is a synthesized radioactive element, produced in nuclear reactors. It is toxic, as it accumulates in bones, destroying marrow which produces red blood cells. 
Berkelium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
Californium is a synthesized radioactive element. It has few uses, one of which is starting nuclear reactors, due to its high emission of neutrons. 
Einsteinium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
Fermium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
Mendelevium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
Nobelium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
Lawrencium is a synthesized radioactive element. As of yet, it has few uses. 
One isotope of Rutherfordium is producted by the fusion of lead 208 and titanium 50. 
   




Two isotopes of element 110 are produced by fusing lead 208 with nickel 62 or nickel 64. 
Element 111 is produced by the fusion of bismuth 209 with nickel 64. 







