Top 10 useful / amazing elements

BY: Yu Hao 1O2 31

10 ) Mercury• Symbol : Hg (Greek: hydrargyrum, meaning watery or liquid

silver) with an atomic number of 80. • Description : A heavy, silvery metal, mercury is one of few the

elements that are liquid at or near room temperature.• Primary uses : 1) Thermometers, barometers and other

scientific apparatus. 2) Dental fillings. 3) Mercury vapour in a phosphor tube

produces short-wave ultraviolent light which then causes the phosphor to fluoresce, making visible light.

• Density (near room temp.) :13.534 g·cm−3 • Melting point : 234.32 K, -38.83 °C, -37.89 °F• Boiling point : 629.88 K, 356.73 °C, 674.11 °F• History : Mercury was found in Egyptian tombs that date from 1500

BC. In China and Tibet, mercury use was thought to prolong life, heal fractures, and maintain generally good health, although it is now known that exposure to mercury leads to serious adverse health effects. One of China's emperors, Qín Shǐ Huáng Dì was killed by drinking a mercury and powdered jade mixture formulated by Qin alchemists (causing live failure, mercury poisoning, and brain death) who intended to give him eternal life.

• The ancient Greeks used mercury in ointments; the ancient Egyptians and the Romans used it in cosmetics which sometimes deformed the face.

9 ) Chlorine• Symbol : Cl• Description : pale-yellow / green gas• Primary uses : 1) Table salt ( chlorine + sodium ) 2) Production of paper products, dyes, textiles,

petroleum products, medicines, antiseptics, insecticides, food, solvents, paints, plastics, and many other consumer products.

3) Bleaching and disinfectant uses, such as in swimming pools to keep them clean and sanitary.

4) Purify or clean water.• Melting point : 171.6 K, -101.5 °C, -150.7 °F• Boiling point : 239.11 K, -34.04 °C, -29.27 °F

8 ) Aluminum • Symbol : Al• Description : Silvery grey metallic• Primary uses : 1) Alloyed with different amounts of copper,

magnesium, silicon, manganese or other elements to impart a variety of useful properties. These alloys are of vital importance in the construction of modern aircraft and rockets.

2) Decorative paper, packages, foils and toys.

• Density : (near room temp. )2.70 g·cm−3

• Melting point : 933.47 K, 660.32 °C, 1220.58 °F• Boiling point : 2792 K, 2519 °C, 4566 °F

7 ) Magnesium• Symbol : Mg• Description : Shiny grey solid.• Primary uses : 1) Flares and fireworks. 2) Common laxatives. 3) Stabilise of abnormal nerve excitation and

blood vessel spasm. 4) Fertilizer.

• Density (near room temp.) : 1.738g·cm−3

• Melting point : 923 K, 650 °C, 1202 °F • Boiling point : 1363 K, 1091 °C, 1994 °F

6 ) Sodium• Symbol : Na• Description : silvery white metallic.• Primary uses : 1) Sodium is used to descale metals. This gives

the metal a smooth surface. It is also used to refine metals (such as zirconium and potassium) from their compounds.

2) Sodium is added to fatty acids to make sodium salts.

3) Sodium vapour lamps (often used in street lights) are a very efficient way of producing light from electricity. These lamps give off a very distinctive yellow-orange colour.

• Density : (near room temp.) : 0.968 g·cm−3

• Melting point : 370.87 K, 97.72 °C, 207.9 °F• Boiling point : 1156 K, 883 °C, 1621 °F

5 ) Hydrogen• Symbol : H• Description : Colourless gas• Primary uses : 1) Used to process fossil fuels. 2) Used to produce ammonia which is used in

common household cleaning products. 3) Hydrogen (either used on its own or

combined with nitrogen) is used in many manufacturing plants to determine whether there are any leaks. It is also used to detect leaks in food packages.

4) Hydrogen gas is used to reduce many metallic ores.

5) Hydrogen gas can be used to make water.

4 ) Fluorine• Symbol : Fl• Description : very pale yellow (gas), bright yellow (liquid).• Primary uses : 1) Compounds of fluorine are added to tooth

paste to prevent dental cavities. 2) Obtain pure uranium from uranium

hexafluoride. 3) Compounds of fluorine are used in

refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. 4) Another compound of fluorine is used in the

electrolysis of aluminium. This process allows pure aluminium to be obtained.

3) Iron• Symbol : Fe• Description : Lustrous metallic with a greyish tinge.• Primary uses : 1) Iron catalysts are used in the Haber-Bosch

Process to produce ammonia and the Fischer-Tropsch Process to convert carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons used for fuels and lubricants.

2) Most automobiles, machine tools, the hulls of large ships, building parts and machine parts are made out of iron.

3) Stainless steel is a very common type of steel. Steel is made by combining iron with carbon. Stainless steel is used in building parts, cooking pots and pans, cutlery and surgical equipment. It is also used in aircraft and automobiles.

2 ) Copper• Symbol : Cu• Description : red, orange metallic lustre• Primary uses : 1) Copper is used to pipe water supplies. The

metal is also used in refrigerators and air conditioning systems. 2) Computer heat sinks. 3) Magnetrons, found in microwave ovens. 4) Vacuum tubes and cathode ray tubes. 5) Some copper is added to fungicides and

nutritional supplements. 6) As a good conductor of electricity, copper is

used in Copper wire, electromagnets and electrical relays and switches.

• 7) Water-proof roofing.• 8) Structures, such as the Statue of Liberty.• 9) Combined with nickel to make a corrosion resistant

material that is used in shipbuilding.• 10) Copper is used in lightning rods. These attract lightning

and cause the electrical current to be dispersed rather than striking, and possibly destroying, a more important structure.

• 11) Copper(II) sulfate is used to kill mildew.• 12) Many musical instruments, particularly brass instruments,

are made out of copper.

• Any idea what the most useful ELEMENT is?

• Note : You may notice that I did not include oxygen and nitrogen because they are too common.

1 ) CARBON !!• Symbol : C• Description : clear (diamond) & black (graphite)• Primary uses : 1) The major use of carbon is in the form of

hydrocarbons, mainly methane gas and crude oil. Crude oil is used to make gasoline and kerosene through distillation.

2) Cellulose, a natural carbon polymer found in plants, is used in cotton, linen and hemp.

3) Plastics 4) Graphite, a form of carbon, is combined with clays

to make the ‘lead’ in pencils. Graphite is also used as an electrode in electrolysis as it is inert (does not react with other chemicals).Graphite is also used as a lubricant, pigment, a moulding material in the manufacture of glass and as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors.

• 5) Charcoal, another form of carbon, is used in artwork and for grilling (usually on a barbecue). Activated charcoal (another form of carbon) is used as adsorbent in many filters. These include gas masks, water purifiers and kitchen extractor hoods.

• 6) It can also be used in medicine to remove toxins, gases or poisons from the digestive system.

• 7) Diamond are used in jewellery. Industrial diamonds are used to drill, cut or polish metals and stones.

• 8) Reduce iron ore into pure iron metal.• 9) When combined with silicon, tungsten, boron and titanium,

carbon forms some of the hardest compounds known. These are used as abrasives in cutting and grinding tools.

Sources• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_(element)• http://listverse.com/2007/11/21/top-10-most-amazing-eleme

nts/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium• http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-sodium/• http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-hydrogen/• http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-fluorine/• http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-iron/

• http://wanttoknowit.com/uses-of-copper/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon