Pulses of high voltage sent through tubes containing xenon gas (a monoatomic gas) produce short, intense white light.  These tubes, called xenon flash lamps, have been used in the film industry and also in scientific research. next element                                 […]

Crystals of solid iodine have a deep purple color.   next element                                         previous element

A common feature of the periodic table is that elements in the same column (sometimes called families) have similar properties.  Some chemical families are given names.  Oxygen, sulfur, selenium and tellurium all belong to the chalcogen family.  Like sulfur and selenium, tellurium is used in the vulcanization of rubber.  Like selenium, tellurium is used in […]

The Latin name for antimony is stibnium.  It is used to make an alloy called brittanium, which is 92% tin and 6% antimony and 2% copper.  Brittanium is used to make the Oscar statuettes that are handed out in the Academy Awards. next element                       […]

The Latin name for tin is stannum, thus its symbol is Sn.  Tin is used to make metallic objects like tin cups.  It is also used to make an alloy called brittanium, which is 92% tin and 6% antimony and 2% copper.  Brittanium is used to make the Oscar statuettes that are handed out in […]

Indium, in the form of indium gallium nitride (InGaP) or indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), is used to make light emitting diodes (LEDs).     next element                                         previous element

Cadmium is used in NiCad batteries.  The following reactions take place in these batteries: Cd(s) + 2 OH–(aq) →Cd(OH)2(s) + 2 e–      ( – electrode) 2 NiOOH(s) + 2 H2O(l) + 2 e–>→2 Ni(OH)2(s) + 2 OH–(aq)   (+ electrode) next element                       […]

Silver has been used to make cups, coins and other metallic items; as an antimicrobial agent in socks; and in in black-and-white photography.  The Latin name for silver is “argentum”. next element                                         previous element

Palladium is used to make the electrodes in glucose strips, which are inserted into glucometers.  Glucometers measure the amount of glucose (blood sugar) in a person’s blood.  People that have diabetes (either Type I or Type II) need to daily monitor the amount of glucose in their blood to make sure it is neither too […]

Rhodium is used in catalytic converters in cars.  A catalyst is something that speeds up a chemical reaction, by participating in the reaction, but the catalyst is not consumed by the reaction.  The energy to propel a car comes from the combustion (burning) of carbon-containing compounds.  When these carbon compounds are burned, carbon dioxide (CO2) […]