Chemical Symbols

Name	Sym	Atomic Nbr	Atomic Wt	Oxidation States	Notes
Actinium	Ac	89	(227)	+3	Often found with Uranium in Pitchblende
Aluminum	Al	13	26.98	+3	The most common element in the Earth's crust. Found in many ores including bauxite and cryolite. Used in aluminum foil, beverage cans and airplanes.
Americium	Am	95	(243)	+2 +3 +4 +5 +6	Americium-241 is the key element in modern smoke detectors.
Antimony (stibium)	Sb	51	121.8	+3 +5 -3	Found in stibnite ore. Antimony alloys have many uses including pewter, print type and machine bearings.
Argon	Ar	18	39.95	0	An inert gas which is prepared by fractional distillation of air and is used in neon lights, arc welding and gas lasers.
Arsenic	As	33	74.92	+3 +5 -3	Found in nature as arsenopyrite, realgar and orpiment. Uses include glass manufacture and chemical warfare.
Astatine	At	85	(210)		Unstable radioactive semimetallic halogen. No known uses except causing cancer in labratory mice.
Barium	Ba	56	137.3	+2	Principal ore is barite. Compounds have many uses including rat poison, pyrotechnics and medicine.
Berkelium	Bk	97	(247)	+3 +4	Man made.
Beryllium	Be	4	9.012	+2	Found in Beryl (emeralds, aquamarine). Used in alloys, aerospace and nuclear reactors. Compounds are very toxic.
Bismuth	Bi	83	209.0	+3 +5	Used in manufacture of low melting point alloys - fuses.
Boron	B	5	10.81	+3	Found in Borax. Uses include heat resistant alloys and nuclear power rods.
Bromine	Br	35	79.90	+1 +5 -1	Extracted from brine (salt water, salt wells). Uses include photography, dyes, medicine and in gasoline (anti-knocking).
Cadmium	Cd	48	112.4	+2	Obtained as a byproduct refining zinc, lead and copper ores. Electroplated on iron and steel to prevent corrosion. Also used in fuses and NiCad batteries.
Calcium	Ca	20	40.08	+2	Found in marble, limestone, feldspar and in most plants and animals. Important to strong bones and teeth.
Californium	Cf	98	(251)	+3	Man made. Good source of neutrons. Used to detect various chemicals such as nerve gas, poison gas or even gold and silver.
Carbon	C	6	12.01	+2 +4 -4	Found in graphite, diamonds, coal, charcoal and all organic matter. Organic chemistry deals with the compounds of carbon.
Cerium	Ce	58	140.1	+3 +4	Rare Earth. Found in Monazite. Alloy used as a flint.
Cesium	Cs	55	132.9	+1	The most alkali of all the elements. Cesium-133 is used in atomic clocks.
Chlorine	Cl	17	35.45	+1 +5 +7 -1	Obtained from Sodium Chloride (salt). Many uses include water purification and bleach.
Chromium	Cr	24	52.00	+2 +3 +6	Found in chromite. Used as a plating for other metals and in stainless steel because of its nontarnishing properties.
Cobalt	Co	27	58.93	+2 +3	Can be magnitized like iron and nickel. Found in cobaltite and smaltite. Alloys used for very hard cutting tools and jet aircrafts.
Copper (Cuprum)	Cu	29	63.55	+1 +2	Small amounts found naturally in metal form. Major ores include chalcopyrite, malachite, and azurite. Needed in the synthesis of hemoglobin. Chief commercial use is conducting electricity. Alloys include brass and bronze.
Curium	Cm	96	(247)	+3	Man made. Source of thermoelectric power in satellites and unmanned space probes.
Dysprosium	Dy	66	162.5	+3	Rare earth. Found in Monazite. Used in nuclear power control rods.
Einsteinium	Es	99	(254)	+2 +3	Man made. First discovered in residue from a nuclear explosion.
Erbium	Er	68	167.3	+3	Rare earth. Sometimes used in a rose colored ceramic glaze.
Europium	Eu	63	152.0	+2 +3	Rare Earth. Used to activate red phosphers in color TV tubes.
Fermium	Fm	100	(257)	+2 +3	Man made. Named after Enrico Fermi. No known uses.
Fluorine	F	9	19.00	-1	Lightest halogen. Most chemically active nonmetallic element. Most electronegative element (it can burn water). Found in fluorite, cryolite and apatite. Can help prevent tooth decay.
Francium	Fr	87	(223)	+1	Very rare radioactive element.
Gadolinium	Gd	64	157.3	+3	Rare earth with unusual magnetic properties. Couple of the isotopes absorb neutrons better than any other element.
Gallium	Ga	31	69.72	+3	Obtained as a byproduct when refining Aluminum and Zinc. Uses include doping semiconductors (production of transistors).
Germanium	Ge	32	72.59	+2 +4	Similar to silicon. Found in germanite. Like silicon, is a very important semiconductor and is used to make transistors and integrated circuits.
Gold (Aurum)	Au	79	197.0	+1 +3	From Greek for "shining dawn." Most malleable of all metals. Excellent conductor of electricity (after copper and silver). Naturally found in metallic state often alloyed with other metals. Univalent (+1) ion is called Aurous. Trivalent (+3) ion is called Auric.
Hafnium	Hf	72	178.5	+4	Hafnium and Zirconium are chemically similar and are often found combined in nature. Often found in Zircon.
Helium	He	2	4.003	0	From Greek for "sun" (helios). Lightest nobel gas and 2nd lightest element. Obtained from wells in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. Used in lighter than air aircraft (balloons). Mixed with Oxygen for deep sea dives to prevent Caisson's Disease (the bends).
Holmium	Ho	67	164.9	+3	Rare earth found in gadolinite and monazite.
Hydrogen	H	1	1.008	+1 -1	Greek for "water forming." Lightest and the most common element in the universe. It's obtained from water, petroleum, coal, acids, etc. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel (fuel cells). Hydrogen helps form many compounds such as water, petroleum and acids.
Indium	In	49	114.8	+3	Similar to Gallium. Obtained as a byproduct of refining zinc. Uses include fuses and as a protective plating for bearings.
Iodine	I	53	126.9	+1 +5 +7 -1	Greek for Violet. Least active of the halogens. Obtained from salt deposits. Necessary nutrient for proper functioning of thyroid gland. Used in medicine and photography.
Iridium	Ir	77	192.2	+3 +4	Very unreactive metal. Found alone or combined with platinum and/or osmium in nature. Used for chemical crucibles. Hardens platinum in alloy. Osmium alloy used for pen tips and compass bearings.
Iron (ferrum)	Fe	26	55.84	+2 +3 +4 +6	Magnetic metal. Important part of hemoglobin which carries oxygen in the blood. Found in hematite, limonite and many other ores. Fourth most abundant element in earth's crust. Iron is an important part of everyday lives. Many products are made from cast iron, wrought iron and steel.
Krypton	Kr	36	83.80	0	Nobel gas. Obtained from factional distillation of liquid air and uranium fission. Uses include lighting and finding leaks in sealed containers.
Lanthanum	La	57	138.9	+3	Rare earth. Obtained from monazite. Used in optics, alloys and flints.
Lawrencium	Lr	103	(257)	+3	Man made. No known uses.
Lead (plumbum)	Pb	82	207.2	+2 +4	Heavy metal. All compounds are poisonous. Found in galena, cerussite, anglesite and car batteries. Used in lead-acid batteries, solder and radiation shields. Used to support heavy machinery.
Lithium	Li	3	6.941	+1	Greek for stone. Lightest alkali metal. Compounds used in lubricants and space vehicles. Alloys used in aircraft.
Lutetium	Lu	71	175.0	+3	Hardest and densest of the rare earth elements. Obtained from monazite. Lutetium-176 has a half life of 30 billion years. Used to age meteorites.
Magnesium	Mg	12	24.31	+2	Obtained from seawater and numerous ores. Uses include light weight alloys and preventing corrossion of iron and steel in pipelines and ships.
Manganese	Mn	25	54.94	+2 +3 +4 +6 +7	From Latin for Magnet. Obtained from Pyrolusite. Critical to the steel industry as a deoxidizing and desulfurizing agent. Used in stainless steel. The purple color of Amethyst is due to Manganese.
Mendelevium	Md	101	(256)	+1 +2 +3	Man made.
Mercury (hydrargyrum)	Hg	80	200.5	+1 +2	Latin for "liquid silver." Also called quicksilver. Liquid metal at normal temperatures. Obtained from cinnabar. Used in thermometers, barometers, fluorescent lamps, batteries and dentistry (amalgam)
Molybdenum	Mo	42	95.94	+2 +3 +4 +5 +6	Found in molybdenite. Molybdenum steel is used in high speed cutting tools, aircraft parts and other places where hardness at high temperatures is needed.
Neodymium	Nd	60	144.2	+3	Rare earth. Found in monazite and bastnasite. Used in lenses of glassblower's goggles (filters glare from the flame) and in lasers and color TV's.
Neon	Ne	10	20.17	0	From Greek for "new." Nobel gas. Obtained from fractional distillation of liquid air. Used in signs, lasers and is particularily good as a cryogenic refrigerant.
Neptunium	Np	93	237.0	+3 +4 +5 +6	Named after Neptune. First transuranium element discovered. Neptunium-237 is used in neutron detection equipment.
Nickel	Ni	28	58.71	+2 +3	Magnetic metal similar to iron and cobalt. Found in pentlandite, pyrrhotite and garnierite. Mostly used as an alloy. Combined with steel for safes and armor plating. Combined with copper in coins (such as the U.S. nickel).
Niobium	Nb	41	92.91	+3 +5	Rare metal. Used in high temperature resistant alloys. Frequently used in artificial joints, plates, pacemakers and dental implants because it's completely hypo-allergenic.
Nitrogen	N	7	14.01	+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 -1 -2 -3	Most abundant element in air. Nitrogen gas doesn't burn nor support combustion. It is relatively unreactive. However, somes of it's compounds, such as TNT, are explosive. Important compounds include nitric acid, ammonia, explosives, cyanides, fertilizers, and the proteins.
Nobelium	No	102	(254)	+2 +3	Man made.
Osmium	Os	76	190.2	+3 +4	Similar to iridium and often alloyed with iridium. Found with platinum and in nickel ores near Sudbury, Ontario. Makes very hard alloys; used for pen tips, phonograph needles. Osmium tetraoxide is used to detect fingerprints.
Oxygen	O	8	16.00	-2	The most abundant element on the earth's surface. Obtained from air, water, plants, many rocks. Uses include breathing, supporting combustion and making steel. Compounds include water, the hydroxides and -ates.
Palladium	Pd	46	106.4	+2 +4	Directly above platinum in periodic table. Found with platinum and in nickel ores near Sudbury, Ontario. Alloyed with gold to make "white gold." Used to make nonmagnetic springs for watches.
Phosphorus	P	15	30.97	+3 +5 -3	Greek for light bearing. A major source is apatite. Present in plants an animals. For instance, the principal material in bones is a form of calcium phosphate. Phosphate is in most fertilizers. Also used in steel production and food processing. Red phosphorus is combined with sulfur in matches.
Platinum	Pt	78	195.1	+2 +4	From the Spanish "platina" (little silver). Found alloyed with similar elements in nature. Platinum and its alloys are used in surgical tools, etc. Also important as a catalyst in refining petroleum.
Plutonium	Pu	94	(244)	+3 +4 +5 +6	Named after Pluto. Plutonium-239 is obtained from Uranium fission. Plutonium-239 is used in nuclear reactors, bombs and pacemakers.
Polonium	Po	84	(210)	+2 +4	Discovered by Marie Curie and named after her native country, Poland. Very rare. Radioactive.
Potassium	K	19	39.09	+1	Found in carnallite. Used in soap and glass. Essential mineral for plants and animals. In humans it helps control blood pressure and water balance.
Praseodymium	Pr	59	140.9	+3	Rare earth. Found with other rare earth elements. Used in lenses of glassblower's goggles (filters glare from the flame). Used in cigarette lighter flints.
Promethium	Pm	61	(145)	+3	Rare earth. Observable quantities have not been found in nature. Produced by nuclear reactors.
Protactinium	Pa	91	231.0	+4 +5	Found in nature with uranium.
Radium	Ra	88	226.0	+2	Rare and radioactive. Discovered by Marie Curie. Found in uranium ore. Was used to treat cancer in the past.
Radon	Rn	86	(222)	0	Radioactive nobel gas. Considered the second leading cause of lung cancer. Decay product of other elements such as radium and uranium. Has been used in earthquake prediction.
Rhenium	Re	75	186.2	+4 +6 +7	Rare. High melting point. Found with platinum and molybdenum ores. Forms a superconductive alloy with molybdenum. Used in electrical contacts.
Rhodium	Rh	45	102.9	+3	Lustrous, silver white metal. Found with platinum and in rhodite and sperrylite. Used to plate jewelry and as reflectors for searchlights.
Rubidium	Rb	37	85.47	+1	Very reactive alkali metal (below Potassium). Found in lepidolite, carnallite and pollucite. Used in photocell production.
Ruthenium	Ru	44	101.1	+3	Hard metal. Found with platinum in river sands. Used in alloys to increase hardness and corrosion resistance.
Samarium	Sm	62	150.4	+2 +3	Rare earth. Found in monazite and bastnasite. Uses include flint, catalyst and to make magnets for computer memories (SmCo₅)
Scandium	Sc	21	44.96	+3	Found in nature in rare earth, tungsten and uranium ores. Uses include improving the quality and efficiency of mecury vapor lights. The blue color of aquamarine is due to Scandium.
Selenium	Se	34	78.96	+4 +6 -2	Obtained during copper refinement. Non metal similar to sulfur in chemical and physical properties. However, it has a crystalline metallike form which conducts electricity. Conductivity relates to the amount of illumination present! Other uses include vulcanizing rubber, glass colorization.
Silicon	Si	14	28.08	+2 +4 -4	Second most abundant element in earth's crust. Obtained commercially from sand. Used in transistors and other semiconductors as well as clay for pottery, brick and other ceramics.
Silver (argentum)	Ag	47	107.9	+1	Metal. Important ore is argentite. Metal alloy used in coins, jewelry, dentistry and electrical contacts. Silver chloride, bromide and iodide are used in photography because they are light sensitive.
Sodium (natrium)	Na	11	23.00	+1	Alkali metal. Extremely reactive. Rapidly oxides in air. Reacts violently with water. Obtained from salt. Metallic sodium used in arc lamps. Important compounds are numerous and include salt, baking soda and borax.
Strontium	Sr	38	87.62	+2	Alkaline earth. Similar to Calcium and Barium. Found in celestite and strontianite. Uses include refining sugar and fireworks. Strontium-85 is used to detect bone cancer. Strontium-90, however, is the chief immediate hazard in nuclear fallout since strontium is absorbed into bones (being like calcium).
Sulfur	S	16	32.06	+4 +6 -2	Nonmetal. Called Brimstone in the Bible. Important to life - found in protoplasm and some proteins. Found in numerous ores including iron pyrites, galena, cinnabar, zinc blende, gypsum, barite, and epsom salts. Uses are also numerous including gunpowder, matches, sulfuric acid and sulfa.
Tantalum	Ta	73	180.9	+2 +3 +4 +5	Rare, hard blue-gray metal. Obtained from tantalite. Extremely ductile and can be drawn into thin wires. Used in electrolytic capacitors and vacuum furnaces.
Technetium	Tc	43	98.91	+4 +6 +7	Radioactive. From Greek "technetos" (artificial). The first element to be prepared synthetically (1937). Has been used as a tracer in medicine.
Tellurium	Te	52	127.6	4 +6 -2	Semimetallic. From Latin for "earth." Found combined with metals in calaverite and sylvanite. Used as a coloring agent and in thermoelectric devices.
Terbium	Tb	65	158.9	+3	Rare earth. Found with other rare earth's in nature. Limited commercial importance.
Thallium	Tl	81	204.4	+1 +3	Heavy metal. Found in crooksite and lorandite. Sulfide used as rat poison and sulfate as an insectide.
Thorium	Th	90	232.0	+4	Named after Thor. Radioactive rare earth. Found in monazite and thorite. Uses include the Welsbach mantle (outdoor lighting) and atomic energy (thorium cycle).
Thulium	Tm	69	168.9	+3	Rare earth metal. Found in monzanite.
Tin (stannum)	Sn	50	118.7	+2 +4	Soft malleable Metal. Obtained from cassiterite (tinstone). Used in electroplating to protect other metals. Component of antifriction metal, bell metal, britannia metal, bronze, gunmetal, pewter, solder, and other alloys. Stannous fluoride added to toothpaste and water to prevent tooth decay.
Titanium	Ti	22	47.90	+2 +3 +4	Metallic element. Only element that burns in nitrogen. Titanium and it's alloys are light and have high tensile strength at high temperatures. Used in aircraft and spacecraft. Also used for hip and knee replacements.
Tungsten (wolfram)	W	74	183.9	+6	Swedish for "heavy stone." Wolfram is the German name. Very dense and has the highest melting point of any metal. Obtained from scheelite and wolframite. Used for filaments in lightbulbs and electronic tubes. Tungsten steel retains its hardness and strength at high temperatures.
Uranium	U	92	238.0	+3 +4 +5 +6	Named after the planet Uranus. Heaviest naturally occuring element existing in useful quantities. Found in pitchblende, coffinite and carnotite. U-235 is a rare form which can be used in nuclear fission reactors. U-238 is common but isn't fissionable. However, it can be used to create Pu-239, which if fissionable.
Vanadium	V	23	50.94	+2 +3 +4 +5	Found in carnotite, patronite, roscoelite, and vanadinite. A small amount (less than 1%) alloyed with steel increases strength, toughness, and heat resistance. Compounds important in ceramics, glass and dye industries. Also an important catalyst.
Xenon	Xe	54	131.3	0	Greek for "strange." Nobel gas. Commerically obtained from air. Used in arc lamps, motion picture lamps, ultraviolet lamps. Also used to detect neutrons and X-rays.
Ytterbium	Yb	70	173.0	+2 +3	Named after Ytterby Sweden. Rare earth found in monazite but has properies more like calcium, strontium and barium.
Yttrium	Y	39	88.90	+3	Named after Ytterby Sweden. Rare earth metal. Found in monazite and bastnasite. Used in red phosphors for color televisions.
Zinc	Zn	30	60.38	+2	Metal. Obtained from zinc blende and calamine. Used to galvanize iron. Alloys include Babbitt metal, brass and German silver. When added to dilute mineral acid, will generate hydrogen gas.
Zirconium	Zr	40	91.22	+4	Metal. Found in zircon. The metal is resistant to corrosion and doesn't readily absorb thermal neutrons making it useful as a uranium casing in nuclear reactors.