Properties of common elements

Properties of common elements

element	Ar	symbol	properties
hydrogen	1	H	Colourless, tasteless, odourless gas/ less dense than air; diatomic molecules; pop test
helium	2	He	Colourless, tasteless and inert gas/ less dense than air; diatomic molecules
lithium	3	Li	Soft, silvery metal, reactive/ low density/ stored under oil; less reactive than sodium
beryllium	4	Be	Hard, silvery-white metal
boron	5	B	Dark brown powder, non-metal, reactive
carbon	6	C	diamond: very hard, colourless, reflects/refracts light graphite: dull, grey solid/conducts very high melting and boiling points; giant covalent structure
nitrogen	7	N	Colourless, odourless, tasteless gas/ slightly less dense than air; 78% of air; unreactive because of triple covalent bond; diatomic molecules
oxygen	8	O	Colourless, odourless, tasteless gas/ slightly denser than air; 21% of air; diatomic molecules; relights glowing splint
fluorine	9	F	Pale yellow gas/ irritating smell/ poisonous; diatomic molecules; most reactive halogen
neon	10	Ne	Colourless, tasteless, odourless, inert gas; monatomic
sodium	11	Na	Soft, silvery-white metal/ low density/ very reactive/ stored under oil; less reactive than potassium
magnesium	12	Mg	Silvery-white relatively soft metal
aluminium	13	Al	Hard, strong but low density, bluish-white metal/ oxide layer prevents it from reacting with air and water/ good conductor
silicon	14	Si	Dark-grey solid/ very high melting and boiling points
phosphorus	15	P	Allotropes: - white-yellowish soft waxy / extremely reactive - red, relatively unreactive powder
sulphur	16	S	Most of the time: pale yellow, brittle crystalline solid/ reactive
chlorine	17	Cl	Greenish-yellow, dense, poisonous gas/ moderately soluble in water/ very reactive/ diatomic
argon	18	Ar	Colourless, odourless, inert gas/ monatomic
potassium	19	K	Soft, silvery-white metal/ low density/ very reactive; stored under oil
calcium	20	Ca	Relatively soft, silvery-white metal/ reactive with air and water
bromine	35	Br	Deep red, dense, sharp smelling, poisonous liquid/ very reactive; diatomic molecules
iodine	53	I	Grey/black shiny solid/ very volatile/ vapour is unpleasant and poisonous/ diatomic molecules – least reactive halogen