The first useful definition of an element allowed us to separate a substance from other substances. However, it did not prove that a substance is an element. This was because a material can be broken down into two or more new substances and recombined to produce the original material. While this is not always the case, advances in separation technologies should make it possible to separate substances in the future.
Compounds
A compound consists of atoms of different elements bound together by a chemical bond. It is an example of a mixture and is a common form of matter. Compounds can be formed in a variety of ways. For example, a compound can be formed from two types of hydrogen atoms.
Compounds can be separated into simpler forms by chemical methods, but they cannot be separated into simpler elements. These substances are often grouped into two basic groups based on how they are bonded together. The first group is known as an element, while the second group consists of compounds made up of several different elements.
Allotropes
Allotropes are different forms of a single chemical element. Their differences result from the different ways atoms can be bonded together. A chemical element can transform between allotropes as it responds to temperature, pressure, and light changes. These transformations can also occur spontaneously. An example is a carbon, which exists in two forms: graphite and diamond. Other elements, such as phosphorus, can exist in several forms, including white, red, and black.
In chemistry, allotropes are different forms of an element, and different forms have different properties. Carbon, for instance, can exist in several allotropic forms. Carbon nanotubes are a type of carbon allotrope. They differ in morphology and structure but share the same building block, carbon. These differences are due to carbon’s ability to bond with other atoms.
Atomic number
An element’s atomic number is the number of protons in its nucleus. This number determines the total electric charge of the atom, as well as the number of electrons, which carry almost all chemical interactions. The atomic number of an element determines a material’s physical properties, and every element possesses one. For example, every oxygen atom contains eight protons. Although an oxygen atom can have different numbers of electrons or neutrons, it will always contain eight protons.
The atomic number is often listed in a periodic table, along with the element’s full name and chemical symbol. This is usually found in the element’s box’s upper left or right-hand corner. The atomic mass, or mass number, is always given in whole numbers.
Name
The name of an element comes from its chemical and physical properties and may also come from its mythical properties. Names of elements are usually approved by the IUPAC, a governing body for the science of chemistry. Currently, there are 118 known elements in the periodic table. The first element discovered was titanium in 1789 by William Gregor, who named it menachite. Five years later, another chemist, Martin Henrich Klaproth, discovered the element but didn’t realize it was the same. Eventually, the element was renamed titanium and menachite were forgotten.
Names of elements are generally abbreviated and are usually one or two letters long. For instance, chlorine is capitalized, while bromine is lowercase. Halogen elements’ names often end with -one, and Nobel gas names end with -on. Helium is one exception to this convention. Newly discovered elements may be named after a mythological reference, mineral, or person.
Density
Density is an important property of an element. It determines its mass and depends on several factors, including temperature, pressure, and the element type. The density of the heavier elements is less well understood, but predictions are available. Metals have higher densities than nonmetals, such as aluminium. However, some metals are very light and have low density. Sodium is an example. It floats on water.
The density of an element is commonly measured in grams per cubic centimetre. For example, water has a one gram per cubic centimetre density, while lead has a density of 3.42 grams/cm3. Density can also be measured in kilograms per cubic meter or grams per millilitre.
Chemical properties
The chemical properties of elements depend on the number of valence shell electrons they have. These electrons are responsible for forming chemical bonds with other elements. Elements that share the same number of valence shell electrons form groups and have similar properties. For example, the halogens (Group VII) consist of fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and astatine, all of which have seven valence shell electrons.
Elements are grouped according to their melting points and chemical properties. Soft metals have low melting points, and hard metalloids have high melting points. Metal is solid, whereas a nonmetal is a gas. In addition, elements have a melting point that determines their solubility in water.
