Chemical elements
Chemical Elements
Chemical elements (/kɪˈmɪkəl ˈɛlɪmənts/), from the Greek words "chemia" meaning "to pour" and "elementum" meaning "principle", are the simplest form of matter that cannot be broken down using chemical reactions. They are the building blocks of all matter and are distinguished by the number of protons in their atomic nuclei.
History
The concept of chemical elements dates back to ancient times, with civilizations like the Greeks and Indians proposing ideas about basic forms of matter. However, the modern understanding of chemical elements began in the 19th century with the work of scientists like John Dalton and Dmitri Mendeleev.
Classification
Chemical elements can be classified into several categories based on their properties. These include metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. They can also be grouped into periods and groups on the Periodic Table.
Metals
Metals (/ˈmɛtəlz/) are elements that are typically hard, shiny, malleable, and conductive. They include elements like iron, copper, and gold.
Nonmetals
Nonmetals (/ˈnɒnˌmɛtəlz/) are elements that are typically not shiny, not malleable, and poor conductors. They include elements like oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen.
Metalloids
Metalloids (/ˈmɛtəˌlɔɪdz/) are elements that have properties in between metals and nonmetals. They include elements like silicon, germanium, and arsenic.
Periodic Table
The Periodic Table (/pɪˈriːədɪk ˈteɪbəl/) is a tabular arrangement of chemical elements, organized based on their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. Elements are listed in order of increasing atomic number, which corresponds to the number of protons in an element's atomic nucleus.
See Also
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