Tracking the World, One Axis at a Time
A focused exploration of the fundamental building blocks of matter, presenting each chemical element with detailed explanation and context.
Curium (Cm, atomic number 96), a silvery, radioactive actinide metal in the f-block (below americium and above berkelium), is one of the heaviest elements producible in macroscopic (though tiny) quantities.…
Caesium (Cs, atomic number 55), also spelled cesium in American English, is a soft, silvery-gold alkali metal in group 1—below rubidium and the most electropositive stable element known. Discovered in…
Moscovium (Mc, atomic number 115), a synthetic superheavy element in group 15 (the pnictogen group, below bismuth), is one of the most unstable and elusive members of the periodic table.…
Yttrium (Y, atomic number 39), a silvery-metallic transition metal in group 3 (below scandium and above lutetium), is the namesake of the entire yttrium group and one of the most…
Silver (Ag, atomic number 47), the lustrous white metal long associated with the Moon (its Latin name argentum and alchemical symbol ♆ reflect lunar ties), is a highly reflective, ductile,…
Francium (Fr, atomic number 87), the heaviest alkali metal and the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth, sits at the bottom-left corner of the periodic table in group 1—below cesium…
Copernicium (Cn, atomic number 112), a synthetic superheavy element in group 12 (below zinc, cadmium, and mercury), is one of the most exotic and volatile members of the periodic table.…
Seaborgium (Sg, atomic number 106), one of the most extreme superheavy elements, sits in group 6 of the periodic table—below chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten. Named in honor of Glenn T.…
Rubidium (Rb, atomic number 37), a soft, silvery-white alkali metal in group 1 (below potassium and above cesium), is one of the most violently reactive elements known—yet it quietly powers…
Gold (Au, atomic number 79), the classic yellow metal of kings, pirates, and central banks, is a dense, soft, malleable, and ductile transition metal in group 11 (below copper and…