Pre-Modern
23 elements
Hydrogen
Lightest element. Makes up 75% of all normal matter by mass. Stars are mostly hy...
Beryllium
Extremely lightweight but very stiff. Used in the James Webb Space Telescopes mi...
Nitrogen
Makes up 78% of Earths atmosphere. Essential for amino acids, DNA, and proteins....
Oxygen
The third most abundant element in the universe. Makes up 21% of Earths atmosphe...
Magnesium
The eighth most abundant element in Earths crust. Burns with an intensely bright...
Phosphorus
Discovered by a German alchemist searching for the philosophers stone, made from...
Chlorine
Yellow-green gas with a choking smell. Used to purify drinking water worldwide, ...
Titanium
As strong as steel but 45% lighter. Highly resistant to corrosion, even against ...
Chromium
Gives stainless steel its corrosion resistance and rubies their red color. Chrom...
Manganese
Essential trace element for bone formation and metabolism. Used in steel product...
Cobalt
Named after kobold, a German goblin blamed for poisoning miners. Essential for v...
Nickel
Makes stainless steel stainless along with chromium. Used in coins worldwide sin...
Zinc
Essential for immune function and over 100 enzyme reactions. Galvanized steel is...
Arsenic
Famous as a historical poison. Arsenic trioxide was called inheritance powder. C...
Strontium
Named after the Scottish village of Strontian where it was discovered. Strontium...
Yttrium
Named after the Swedish village of Ytterby, the source of four element names. Us...
Zirconium
Highly resistant to corrosion and used in nuclear reactor fuel rods. Cubic zirco...
Molybdenum
Essential trace element involved in several important enzymes. Has the highest m...
Tellurium
Named after Tellus, the Latin word for Earth. One of the rarest elements in Eart...
Tungsten
Has the highest melting point of all elements at 3,422C. Used in incandescent li...
Platinum
One of the rarest and most valuable precious metals. Used in catalytic converter...
Uranium
The heaviest naturally abundant element. Named after the planet Uranus. Enriched...
Bismuth
The active half of Pepto-Bismol, soothing stomachs as bismuth subsalicylate. Unu...