Chemical element
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
An element is the simple chemical substance that consists of atoms of only one type and cannot be split by chemical means into a simpler substance. For example, gold, oxygen, and carbon are all elements. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the identity of an element. For example, atoms that have one proton are hydrogen, and atoms that have eight protons are oxygen.
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Periodic table
- Main Article: Periodic table
Elements are arranged into the periodic table based on properties they share in common. Each cell of the table contains a different element. The cells of most periodic tables contain the name and symbol of each element, the atomic number (the number of protons), and the atomic weight (average number of protons + neutrons). Some periodic tables will contain other information, such as the electron shell configuration of each element, or their state at room temperature (liquid, gas, or solid).
The electron configurations of atoms primarily determines their chemical reactivity, and particularly the the outer-shell (or "valence") electrons. The elements in the periodic table are arranged into rows (known as groups or families), and columns (known as periods) based on how many shells of electrons an atom possesses and the number of electrons in the outer-shell respectively.
Atoms
- Main Article Atom
Atoms are the smallest parts of a chemical element that still have the properties of that element. Elements are therefore identified by the properties of their atoms and in particular, the number of protons in the nucleus. All hydrogen atoms have one proton, all carbon atoms have six, all oxygen atoms have eight, etc.
Chemical Symbol
- Main Article Atomic symbol
Every element has its own chemical symbol or atomic symbol to identify it. Today most chemical symbols derive from the modern English names of the elements they represent. However, the metals of antiquity retain the symbols that derived from their original Latin or Greek names, e.g., natrium (sodium), kalium (potassium), hydrargyrum (mercury), etc.
Atomic Number
- Main Article Atomic number
The number of protons that an element has is called its atomic number. All atoms of the same element have the same atomic number. The atomic number of the various elements can typically be found above the element's chemical symbol in the periodic table.
Atomic Mass
- Main Article Atomic mass
The total number of protons and neutrons that any given atom has is its atomic mass number. However, most entries in the periodic table quote the atomic mass of each element. This number is the weighted average of the atomic mass numbers of the various forms of that atom that are found in nature.
Isotopes
- Main Article:Isotope
That last concept calls for more explanation. Atoms of the same element that have differing numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. Every element that is found in nature (i.e., is not a synthetic element) normally exists as multiple isotopes, in varying proportions. Thus to compute the atomic mass, one computes a weighted average of the atomic mass numbers of all the isotopes, using as weights the proportions of the isotopes that typically exist in nature.
Two exceptions to this rule exist:
1. A synthetic isotope never has a part in computing the weighted-average atomic mass.
2. The atomic mass of a totally synthetic element, such as technetium, is the atomic mass number of the most commonly synthesized isotope, or the first such isotope reported.
Since isotopes have only different number of neutrons, they have the same electrical (bonding) properties, but frequently have different physical properties such as half-life. Many dating techniques involve measuring isotope quantities in a sample. (See radiometric dating) Furthermore, one can separate isotopes of the same element by using a gas centrifuge. This technique produces blends of isotopes that are significantly different from the natural blend. The most common application of this technique is the enrichment of a radioactive element, such as uranium, to produce fuel for a nuclear reactor, or to build a nuclear weapon.
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