The chemical elements Most of them are obtained from nature, either spontaneously or by forming compounds with other elements. These types of substances are atomically pure and cannot be broken down into simpler substances. In this blog we will explain what they are, their characteristics, how they are organized and what types exist. Don’t miss it! In addition, if you want to know more about this sector, you can specialize with our courses and masters in chemistry.
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What are chemical elements?
Chemical elements are pure substances since matter is composed of the same type of atom. That is to say, it is a specific type of matter, composed entirely of atoms of the same nature. And the one whose intrinsic properties differentiate it from other elements. For example, oxygen (O) has different properties than the element gold (Au).
They are therefore also the result of the combination of different elements, which give rise to all kinds of materials. This is achieved by different reactions, processes and time periods. Moreover, regardless of how it is obtained or whether it is present in nature, its uses will be one or the other.
Main types of chemical elements
Currently the periodic table It contains 118 different chemical elements, 26 of which were obtained in the laboratory. However, some of them are synthetic, that is, artificial. This means that they do not exist in nature but only in laboratories. Well, the human being was able to manufacture new elements.
The periodic table is a classification system created by Russian chemist Dimitri Mendeleev, 1869. It is visually ordered according to its properties and characteristics and is divided into the following types:
metals
Metals are one of the most important groups in the periodic table. Most of them are characterized by being good conductors of electricity and heat. They are also solid at room temperature, opaque, have a crystal structure in the solid state, and shine when polished. For example:
- Aluminum (Al)
- Silver (Ag)
- or (au)
- Copper (Cu)
- Calcium (Ca)
- Mercury (Hg)
- Magnesium (Mg)
No metals
Non-metallic chemical elements are those that have a high ionization capacity and a strong tendency to generate electrons. Moreover, they are not good conductors of heat and electricity. And they are vital because there are many of them in all living things. Some of the most common are:
- Carbon (C)
- Oxygen (O)
- Hydrogen (H)
- Fluoride (F)
- phosphorus (P)
- Iodine (I)
noble gases
Noble gases have chemical inertness, as they are extremely stable and do not tend to chemically react with other elements. Their natural state is gaseous and they are usually in the form of diatomic molecules with very low reactivity. This means that they do not react against other elements by composing other substances. For this reason, they are also called inert gases. Are composed of:
- ice cream (it)
- Neon (Ne)
- Argon (Ar)
- Krypton (Kr)
- Radon (Rn)
