Here’s element number 17, chlorine, in our International Year of the Periodic Table series with the Royal Society of Chemistry. Chlorine is essential for safe drinking water, but also has a history of use in chemical warfare.
Continuing the International Year of the Periodic Table theme, today we look at the elements we can’t live without. Which elements from the 118 in the periodic table are essential for human life, and what role do they play? See the full graphic on the C&EN site.
Element 16 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is sulfur. Known since ancient times, but only confirmed as an element in the late 1700s, it’s responsible for a host of bad smells we encounter, and also finds uses in car tyres and gunpowder.
The latest element in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is phosphorus – essential for life, found in several forms, and the element that helps safety matches light when you strike them.
The thirteenth element in our International year of the Periodic Table series is aluminium. The most abundant metal in Earth’s crust, aluminium finds use in drinks cans, aluminium foil, and aeroplane construction.
Element number 11 in our International Year of the Periodic Table series is sodium. Found in salt, and responsible for the traditional yellow glow of streetlights, sodium is also an important element for the normal function of our bodies.