Elements Everywhere!

BOOM, POP, CRACK! Every time you watch a fireworks show, you see chemistry in action. Many colorful explosions are fueled by the element sulfur.

Sulfur easily reacts with many other elements. That means people can combine it with other substances to make useful products. For example, sulfur is added to processed foods to prevent them from spoiling.

Sulfur is odorless by itself. But when it combines with certain elements, it produces the stinky smells of rotten eggs, garlic, and farts!

BOOM, POP, CRACK! You see chemistry in action every time you watch a fireworks show. The element sulfur fuels many colorful explosions.

Sulfur easily reacts with many other elements. That means people can combine it with other things to make useful products. For example, sulfur is added to processed foods. The element prevents the food from spoiling.

Sulfur doesn’t have an odor. That can change when it combines with certain elements. Then it creates the stinky smells of rotten eggs, garlic, and farts!

People have used gold to make precious objects for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, some kings and queens even had their tombs decorated with this metal. Why?

One reason gold has long been considered valuable is that it stays shiny forever! While some elements react easily with others, gold does not. That helps it stay shiny and looking like new.

“You can find gold coins that have been in the ocean for centuries,” says Susan Richardson, a chemist at the University of South Carolina. “They’re just as shiny as when they fell in!”

People have used gold to make prized objects for thousands of years. Some ancient Egyptian kings and queens even decorated their tombs with this metal. Why?

There’s a big reason gold is so highly valued. It stays shiny forever! And gold does not easily react with other elements. That helps it stay looking like new.

“You can find gold coins that have been in the ocean for centuries,” says Susan Richardson. She’s a chemist at the University of South Carolina. “They’re just as shiny as when they fell in!”

Have you ever ridden in an electric vehicle or used a mobile device? These products rely on the element lithium. This silvery-white metal is a key ingredient in rechargeable batteries.

Batteries made with lithium are much lighter than batteries made with other metals. In fact, lithium is the lightest metal in the universe. That makes it perfect for electric cars and trucks, says Daniel Mindiola, a chemistry professor at the University of Pennsylvania. With lighter batteries, the vehicles require less energy to drive.

Have you ever ridden in an electric vehicle or used a mobile device? These products rely on the element lithium. It’s a silvery-white metal. And it’s the key ingredient in rechargeable batteries.

Batteries made with lithium are much lighter than batteries made with other metals. In fact, lithium is the lightest metal in the universe. That makes it perfect for electric cars and trucks, says Daniel Mindiola. He’s a chemistry professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Lighter batteries mean the vehicles need less energy to drive.

What keeps high-flying party balloons afloat? Inside those balloons is a special element: the gas helium! It has a lower density than oxygen and the other gases in the air. That’s why a balloon filled with helium will float away if you don’t hold on to the string.

That’s not all helium can do. It’s a gas at room temperature. But at super-cold temperatures, it becomes a liquid. It’s used to keep some machine parts cool. For example, MRI machines make images of the body’s insides to help doctors find health problems. They wouldn’t work without liquid helium.

What keeps high-flying party balloons afloat? Inside those balloons is a special element. It’s the gas helium! It has a lower density than oxygen and other gases in the air. That’s why you need to hold the string of a balloon filled with helium. Otherwise, it will float away!

That’s not all helium can do. It’s a gas at room temperature. But it becomes a liquid at super-cold temperatures. It’s used to keep some machine parts cool. One example is MRI machines. They make images of the body’s insides. This help doctors find health problems. They wouldn’t work without liquid helium.

People have long used iron to construct buildings. That’s because it’s a strong metal and one of the most common elements on Earth.

But there’s a catch! When iron is exposed to water and air, it rusts. Rust makes iron brittle, or likely to break. So people often combine iron with other elements to make an alloy called stainless steel. This metallic mix resists rust.

Iron is also a key nutrient that helps blood carry oxygen throughout your body. That’s why we need to eat foods rich in iron, like lentils and beans.

People have long used iron to construct buildings. That’s because it’s a strong metal. And it’s one of the most common elements on Earth.

But there’s a catch! Air and water cause iron to rust. Rust makes iron brittle and likely to break. So people often combine iron with other metals. This creates an alloy called stainless steel. This metal mixture resists rust.

Iron is also a key nutrient. It helps blood carry oxygen throughout your body. That’s why we need to eat foods rich in iron, like beans and lentils.