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Amazing Elements

Think of an Element, The Elements, Important Elements, Code Names

An element is a material that contains just one type of atom. There are about one hundred different types of atoms altogether. So there are about one hundred elements.

Think of an Element

Lots of materials that you know are elements. For example, silver is an element. It is made of silver atoms. We use silver to make jewelry, silverware, and other things.

Microworlds A pair of silver rings.

Microworlds A silver atom has forty-seven protons, sixty-one neutrons, and forty-seven electrons.

Look at the list of elements. How many have you heard of?

The Elements

This list shows ninety-two elements that are found naturally on Earth.

Elements on Earth
Actinium	Fluorine	Neodymium	Selenium
Aluminum	Francium	Neon	Silicon
Antimony	Gadolinium	Nickel	Silver
Argon	Gallium	Niobium	Sodium
Arsenic	Germanium	Nitrogen	Strontium
Astatine	Gold	Osmium	Sulfur
Barium	Hafnium	Oxygen	Tantalum
Beryllium	Helium	Palladium	Technetium
Bismuth	Holmium	Phosphorus	Tellurium
Boron	Hydrogen	Platinum	Terbium
Bromine	Indium	Polonium	Thallium
Cadmium	Iodine	Potassium	Thorium
Cesium	Iridium	Praseodymium	Thulium
Calcium	Iron	Promethium	Tin
Carbon	Krypton	Protactinium	Titanium
Cerium	Lanthanum	Radium	Tungsten
Chlorine	Lead	Radon	Uranium
Chromium	Lithium	Rhenium	Vanadium
Cobalt	Lutetium	Rhodium	Xenon
Copper	Magnesium	Rubidium	Ytterbium
Dysprosium	Manganese	Ruthenium	Yttrium
Erbium	Mercury	Samarium	Zinc
Europium	Molybdenum	Scandium	Zirconium

Important Elements

Elements play a big part in our everyday lives. The gas oxygen is an element, made of oxygen atoms. It is found in the air. Animals must breathe in oxygen to stay alive. Carbon is another important element. It is found in the bodies of living things.

Microworlds Even fish breathe oxygen. They take it from the water using their gills.

Some elements are rare. This means they are hard to find. Because of this, they cost a lot of money. They include gold and platinum. Gold was once used to make coins.

Microworlds A computer has a chip like this in it, to make it work. The chip is made of silicon. Silicon is an element.

Code Names

Scientists give each element its own code name. The code name acts as a symbol for that type of atom. It is made of one, two, or three letters. This makes it quicker and easier to write elements down.

Here are some of the codes:

Oxygen—O

Carbon—C

Silicon—Si

Silver—Ag

Gold—Au

ELEMENT NAMES

Elements get their names in many ways. Helium is found in the Sun. Its name comes from helios, the Greek word for “sun.”

Gold is a yellow metal. Its name comes from an old word, gelwa. This means “yellow.”

Xenon is an unusual element. Its name comes from a Greek word, xenos, meaning “strange.”

Additional topics

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