Common Elements Science Performance Task#2

1. Common Elements
With Definition, Symbol and
Uses

2. USES
• It is used in packaging, cans, foils, kitchen utensils, window frames,
beer kegs and aero plane parts.
• It is used in the transportation of railway, trucks, automobiles as
castings.
• Al compounds are observed in the reactions of Al metal with
oxidants.
Aluminum is a silvery-white metal, with the symbol Al, and
atomic number 13. It is the 13 element in the periodic
table and the most widespread metal on Earth, making up
more than 8% of the Earth's core mass. It's also the third
most common chemical element on our planet after
oxygen and silicon.

3. USES
• It is used when an inert atmosphere is needed. It is used in this way
for the production of titanium and other reactive elements.
• It is also used by welders to protect the weld area and in
incandescent light bulbs to stop oxygen from corroding the
filament.
• Argon is also used in fluorescent tubes and low-energy light bulbs.
Argon is a chemical element with the symbol Ar and
atomic number 18. It is in group 18 of the periodic table
and is a noble gas. Argon is the third-most abundant gas in
the Earth's atmosphere, at 0.934%.

4. USES
• It is often used for spark-plug electrodes and in vacuum tubes as a
drying and oxygen-removing agent. As well as fluorescent lamps:
impure barium sulfide phosphorescence after exposure to light.
• It is used in drilling fluids for oil and gas wells.
• Barium compounds are also used to make paint, bricks, tiles, glass,
and rubber.
• Barium nitrate and chlorate give fireworks a green color.
Barium is a chemical element with the symbol Ba and
atomic number 56. It is the fifth element in group 2 and is
a soft, silvery alkaline earth metal. Because of its high
chemical reactivity, barium is never found in nature as a
free element. …

5. USES
• It is used in alloys with copper or nickel to make gyroscopes, springs,
electrical contacts, spot-welding electrodes and non-sparking tools.
Mixing beryllium with these metals increases their electrical and
thermal conductivity.
• As a structural materials for high-speed aircraft, missiles, spacecraft
and communication satellites.
Beryllium is a chemical element with the symbol Be and
atomic number 4. It is a steel-gray, strong, lightweight and
brittle alkaline earth metal. It is a divalent element that
occurs naturally only in combination with other elements
to form minerals. Notable gemstones high in beryllium
include beryl and chrysoberyl.

6. USES
• Amorphous boron is used as a rocket fuel igniter and in pyrotechnic
flares.
• Sodium borate or borax is used to insulate fiber glass and sodium
perborate bleach.
• Boric acid is used in textile products. Boron compounds are also
used in organic synthesis, a particular type of glass manufacture and
as a wood preservative.
• Borax used to be used to make bleach and as a food preservative.
Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and
atomic number 5. In its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark,
lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown
powder.

7. USES
• Bromine is used in many areas such as agricultural chemicals,
dyestuffs, insecticides, pharmaceuticals and chemical intermediates.
• It also liberates free iodine from iodide- containing solutions and
sulfur from hydrogen sulfide.
• Sulfurous acid is oxidized to sulfuric acid by bromine water.
Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and
atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest halogen, and is a
fuming red-brown liquid at room temperature that
evaporates readily to form a similarly colored vapor. Its
properties are intermediate between those of chlorine
and iodine.

8. USES
• Cadmium is a poison and is known to cause birth defects and cancer.
As a result, there are moves to limit its use.
• Cadmium and its compounds are used in several consumer products
such as in nickel-cadmium batteries and for electroplating other
metals.
• Cadmium is also used in various industrial processes such as
printing, textiles, photography, lasers and solar cells.
Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and
atomic number 48. This soft, silvery-white metal is
chemically similar to the two other stable metals in group
12, zinc and mercury.

9. USES
• Calcium metal is used as a reducing agent in preparing other metals
such as thorium and uranium.
• It is also used as an alloying agent.
• Several calcium compounds find use in the food industry and the
pharmaceutical industry.
• Calcium is essential to all living things, particularly for the growth of
healthy teeth and bones.
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and
atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a
reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when
exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are
most similar to its heavier homologues strontium and
barium.

10. USES
• Amorphous carbon is used to make inks and paints. It is also used in
batteries.
• One of the most important uses is carbon dating. We can actually
use carbon to measure the age of things.
• Carbon is used for fuel in the form of coal, methane gas, and crude
oil (which is used to make gasoline).
• Carbon in its diamond form is used in jewelry.
Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C and
atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—
making four electrons available to form covalent chemical
bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table.
Carbon makes up only about 0.025 percent of Earth's
crust.

11. USES
• Chlorine kills bacteria – it is a disinfectant, used to treat drinking
water and swimming pool water.
• It is also used to make hundreds of consumer products from paper
to paints, and from textiles to insecticides.
• About 20% of chlorine produced is used to make PVC, which is used
in window frames, car interiors, electrical wiring insulation, and
water pipes.
Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and
atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it
appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic
table and its properties are mostly intermediate between
them. Chlorine is a yellow-green gas at room
temperature.

12. USES
• Chromium is used to harden steel, to manufacture stainless steel
and to produce several alloys.
• Chromium plating can be used to give a polished mirror finish to
steel.
• Chromium compounds are used as industrial catalysts and
pigments.
• It is also used in paint and dyes and chemical makeup that is used
for fabrics.
Chromium is a chemical element with the symbol Cr and
atomic number 24. It is the first element in group 6. It is a
steely-grey, lustrous, hard, and brittle transition metal.
Chromium is the main additive in stainless steel, to which
it adds anti-corrosive properties.

13. USES
• Copper is used in electrical wiring, roofing, plumbing, and industrial
machinery.
• Copper is an essential component in the motors, wiring, radiators,
connectors, brakes, and bearings used in cars and trucks.
• Copper wires are used in power generation, power distribution,
power transmission, and electronic circuits. In fact, more than half
of all mined copper is used in electrical wiring.
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and
atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile
metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity.
A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-
orange color.

14. USES
• Molecular fluorine and Atomic fluorine are used in semiconductor
manufacturing for plasma etching, MEMs fabrication, and flat panel
display production.
• Chlorofluorocarbons are used in air conditioners and refrigerators.
• Fluorides are also added to toothpaste to prevent dental cavities.
Fluorine is a chemical element with the symbol F and
atomic number 9. It is the lightest halogen and exists at
standard conditions as a highly toxic, pale yellow diatomic
gas. As the most electronegative element, it is extremely
reactive, as it reacts with all other elements, except for
argon, neon, and helium.

15. USES
• The metal is mainly used to manufacture jewelry, glass and different
parts in electronics items.
• Gold can be made into thread and used in embroidery.
• A thin layer of this metal can be used in art, for decoration and as
architectural ornament.
• It is also used in medicine. Its radioactive isotope Au-198 is used for
the treatment of the tumor.
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and atomic
number 79, making it one of the higher atomic number
elements that occur naturally. In a pure form, it is a bright,
slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile
metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group
11 element.

16. USES
• Helium is used to provide an inert protective atmosphere for
making fiber optics and semiconductors, and for arc welding.
• Helium is also used to detect leaks, such as in car air-conditioning
systems, and because it diffuses quickly it is used to inflate car
airbags after impact.
• It is also often used to fill decorative balloons.
• Liquid helium is also used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
systems.
Helium is a chemical element with the symbol He and
atomic number 2. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless,
non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas, the first in the noble gas
group in the periodic table. Its boiling and melting point
are the lowest among all the elements.

17. USES
• Hydrogen is used in the synthesis of ammonia and the manufacture
of nitrogenous fertilizers.
• Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity, or power
and heat.
• It is also used to remove sulfur from fuels during the oil-refining
process.
• Large quantities of hydrogen are used to hydrogenate oils to form
fats, for example to make margarine.
Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and
atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At
standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic
molecules having the formula H₂. It is colorless, odorless,
non-toxic, and highly combustible.

18. USES
• It is used in pharmaceutical industry, printing industry and in the
manufacturing of animal feed.
• Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones that
control many functions in the body including growth and
development.
• It is used in medicines that aid in cleaning wounds.
• Iodine is also used to make polarizing filters for LCD displays.
Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic
number 53. The heaviest of the stable halogens, it exists
as a semi-lustrous, non-metallic solid at standard
conditions that melts to form a deep violet liquid at 114
degrees Celsius, and boils to a violet gas at 184 degrees
Celsius.

19. USES
• Iron is used to make alloy steels like carbon steels with additives
such as nickel, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, and manganese.
• It is used to manufacture steel and also used in civil engineering like
reinforced concrete, girders etc.
• Uses of iron in daily life include machinery and tools, as well as
vehicles, hulls of ships, and structural elements.
Iron is a chemical element with symbol Fe and atomic
number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition
series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the
most common element on Earth, right in front of oxygen,
forming much of Earth's outer and inner core.

20. USES
• Lead is widely used for car batteries, pigments, ammunition, cable
sheathing, weights for lifting, weight belts for diving, lead crystal
glass, radiation protection and in some solders.
• It may be used as a pure metal, alloyed with other metals, or as
chemical compounds.
• It is also used as electrodes in electrolysis processes.
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb and atomic
number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most
common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also
has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, lead
is silvery with a hint of blue; it tarnishes to a dull gray color
when exposed to air.

21. USES
• Lithium is used in rechargeable batteries.
• Lithium oxide is used in special glasses and glass ceramics.
• Lithium chloride is used in air conditioning and industrial drying
systems (as is lithium bromide).
• Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature
lubricant. Lithium carbonate is used in drugs to treat manic
depression.
• Lithium hydride is used as a means of storing hydrogen for use as a
fuel.
Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and
atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal.
Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the
lightest solid element.

22. USES
• Magnesium is used in products that benefit from being lightweight,
such as car seats, luggage, laptops, cameras and power tools.
• It is also added to molten iron and steel to remove sulfur.
• As magnesium ignites easily in air and burns with a bright light, it’s
used in flares, fireworks and sparklers.
• Magnesium sulfate is used as a mordant for dyes.
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg
and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray solid which bears
a close physical resemblance to the other five elements in
the second column (group 2, or alkaline earth metals) of
the periodic table.

23. USES
• Manganese is used to make clear glass, to desulfurize and deoxidize
steel in steel production and to reduce the octane rating in gasoline.
• It also is used as a black-brown pigment in paint and as filler in dry
cell batteries.
• Manganese steel is used for railway tracks, safes, rifle barrels and
prison bars.
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn
and atomic number 25. It is a hard brittle silvery metal,
often found in minerals in combination with iron.
Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array
of industrial alloy uses, particularly in stainless steels.

24. USES
• Mercury is used primarily for the manufacture of industrial
chemicals or for electrical and electronic applications.
• It is used in some liquid-in-glass thermometers, especially those
used to measure high temperatures.
• A still increasing amount is used as gaseous mercury in fluorescent
lamps, while most of the other applications are slowly being
phased out due to health and safety regulations.
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and
atomic number 80. It is commonly known as quicksilver
and was formerly named hydrargyrum.

25. USES
• Neon is largely used in making the ubiquitous ‘neon signs’ for
advertising. In a vacuum discharge tube, neon glows a reddish
orange color. Only the red signs actually contain pure neon. Others
contain different gases to give different colors.
• Neon is also used to make high-voltage indicators and switching
gear, lightning arresters, diving equipment and lasers.
• It is also used in lightning arrestors, high-voltage indicators,
television tubes and meter tubes.
Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and
atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless,
odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions,
with about two-thirds the density of air.

26. USES
• Nickel resists corrosion, even when red hot, so is used in toasters
and electric ovens.
• A copper-nickel alloy is commonly used in desalination plants,
which convert seawater into fresh water.
• Nickel steel is used for armor plating. Other alloys of nickel are used
in boat propeller shafts and turbine blades.
• It is also used in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-
metal hydride batteries.
Nickel is a chemical element with the symbol Ni and
atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with
a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition
metals and is hard and ductile.

27. USES
• It is used in the manufacture of ammonia, to produce nitric acid
and subsequently used as a fertilizer.
• Nitric acid salts include important compounds like potassium
nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid.
• Liquid nitrogen is utilized as a refrigerant for transporting foodstuff
and freezing purposes.
• Preservation of bodies and reproductive cells and stable storage of
biological samples also makes use of liquid nitrogen.
Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and
atomic number 7. It was first discovered and isolated by
Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772.

28. USES
• Oxygen is used in production of steel, plastics and textiles, brazing,
welding and cutting of steels and other metals, rocket propellant,
oxygen therapy, and life support systems in aircraft, submarines,
spaceflight and diving.
• Special oxygen chambers are used in case of high pressure to
increase the partial pressure of oxygen around the patient.
Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and
atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group
in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an
oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most
elements as well as with other compounds.

29. USES
• Phosphorus is a vital plant nutrient and its main use – via
phosphate compounds – is in the production of fertilizers.
• It is also used in the manufacture of safety matches (red
phosphorus), pyrotechnics and incendiary shells.
• Phosphorus is also used in steel manufacture and in the production
of phosphor bronze.
• It is also used to make light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and
atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two
major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but
because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as
a free element on Earth.

30. USES
• Platinum is used extensively for jewelry.
• It is also used as a catalyst for the production of nitric acid, silicone
and benzene.
• Platinum is also used for computer hard disks and thermocouples,
to make optical fibers and LCDs, turbine blades, spark plugs,
pacemakers and dental fillings.
• Platinum compounds are important chemotherapy drugs used to
treat cancers.
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and
atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly
unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its
name is derived from the Spanish term platino, meaning
"little silver".

31. USES
• It can be used as a medium of heat exchange and are used in
nuclear power plants because of this reason.
• It is one of the essential nutrients of the human body.
• Potassium chloride (KCl) is used in fertilizers, as a salt substitute and
to produce other chemicals.
• Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is used to make soaps, detergents and
drain cleaners.
• Potassium chloride is also used in injections.
Potassium is a chemical element with the symbol K and
atomic number 19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that
is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force.
Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmospheric oxygen
to form flaky white potassium peroxide in only seconds of
exposure.

32. USES
• Silicon is a major constituent in ceramics and bricks.
• It is widely used in computer chips and solar cells.
• Being a semiconductor, the element is put into use for making
transistors.
• It is a vital component of Portland cement.
• It is used in the production of fire bricks.
• Several waterproofing systems employ silicones as a component.
• Silicon is used in much mold release agents and molding
compounds.
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and
atomic number 14. It is a hard, brittle crystalline solid
with a blue-grey metallic luster, and is a tetravalent
metalloid and semiconductor.

33. USES
• Silver is used for jewelry and silver tableware, where appearance is
important.
• Silver is used to make mirrors, as it is the best reflector of visible
light known, although it does tarnish with time.
• It is also used in dental alloys, solder and brazing alloys, electrical
contacts and batteries.
• Silver has antibacterial properties and silver nanoparticles are used
in clothing to prevent bacteria from digesting sweat and forming
unpleasant odors.
Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag and
atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition
metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity,
thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal.

34. USES
• It is used in improving the structure of certain alloys; soaps,
purification of molten metals and in sodium vapor lamps.
• Sodium is used as a heat exchanger in some nuclear reactors, and
as a reagent in the chemicals industry.
• The most common compound of sodium is sodium chloride
(common salt). It is added to food and used to de-ice roads in
winter.
• Solid sodium carbonate is required in making glass.
Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na and
atomic number 11. It is a soft, silvery-white, highly
reactive metal. Sodium is an alkali metal, being in group 1
of the periodic table. Its only stable isotope is ²³Na.

35. USES
• Strontium is best known for the brilliant reds its salts give to
fireworks and flares.
• It is also used in producing ferrite magnets and refining zinc.
• Modern ‘glow-in-the-dark’ paints and plastics contain strontium
aluminate. They absorb light during the day and release it slowly for
hours afterwards.
• Strontium chloride hexahydrate is an ingredient in toothpaste for
sensitive teeth.
Strontium is the chemical element with the symbol Sr and
atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a
soft silver-white yellowish metallic element that is highly
chemically reactive. The metal forms a dark oxide layer
when it is exposed to air.

36. USES
• Sulfur is used in the vulcanization of black rubber, as a fungicide
and in black gunpowder.
• It is also used in production of sulfuric acid. The most important of
sulfuric acid’s many uses is in the manufacture of phosphoric acid,
to make phosphates for fertilizers.
• Sulfites are used to bleach paper and as preservatives for many
foodstuffs.
Sulfur is a chemical element with the symbol S and
atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent and
nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form
cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula S₈.
Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid at
room temperature.

37. USES
• It is used in tin plating, coating and polishing as it has a high
resistance to corrosion.
• It is used in soldering of steel as it possesses high magnetic
strengths and lower melting points.
• It is also used in the manufacture of other alloys such as Bronze and
copper.
• It is used as a reducing as well as a dyeing agent for glass, ceramics,
and sensors.
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic
number 50. Tin is a silvery metal that characteristically has
a faint yellow hue. Tin is soft enough to be cut with little
force.

38. USES
• Uranium is a very important element because it provides us with
nuclear fuel used to generate electricity in nuclear power stations.
• It is also the major material from which other synthetic
transuranium elements are made.
• The leftover waste, depleted uranium, can be used as ballast for
ships and counterweights for aircraft.
• It is also used in ammunition and armor.
Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and
atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide
series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92
protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence
electrons.

39. USES
• Xenon is used in certain specialized light sources. It produces a
beautiful blue glow when excited by an electrical discharge.
• Xenon lamps have applications as high-speed electronic flash bulbs
used by photographers, sunbed lamps and bactericidal lamps used
in food preparation and processing.
• Xenon ion propulsion systems are used by several satellites to keep
them in orbit, and in some other spacecraft.
Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and
atomic number 54. It is a colorless, dense, odorless noble
gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts.

40. USES
• Zinc is used to galvanize other metals, such as iron, to prevent
rusting. Large quantities of zinc are used to produce die-castings. It
is also used in alloys such as brass, nickel silver and aluminum
solder.
• It is used for manufacturing like creating roofing materials or
making zinc oxide, which is an additive to the rubber used to make
automobile tires.
• It also helps in maintaining the balance of enzymes in the human
body.
Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic
number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room
temperature and has a silvery-greyish appearance when
oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 of
the periodic table.

41. Submitted By:
Gennica Anne Cabrigas Grade 7-STE
Science Performance Task #2
Submitted To:
Mrs. Jennelyn L. Rafales
Class Adviser / Science Teacher