Hessium is named after the German state of Hesse.  The coat of arms of Hesse has a lion on it. next element                                   previous element

    Bismuth is used in a variety of paint pigments (as is titanium and vanadium). 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                       […]

Arsenic is a poison.  As3+ ions react with very strongly with sulfur atoms.  Proteins (molecules that are the building blocks for the structures in living things) in the body contain a lot of sulfur atoms.  When As3+ions react with the sulfur atoms contained proteins, the proteins are destroyed. next element             […]

Chemist Clemens Winkler named this element after his home country, Germany. next element                                          previous element

Silicon is used to make integrated circuits, which are used to build computers and robots.   next element                                        previous element