Periodic table

Every element from hydrogen to oganesson. Search by name, symbol or number, or tap a square.

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57–7189–103

Alkali metal
Alkaline earth
Transition metal
Post-transition metal
Metalloid
Nonmetal
Halogen
Noble gas
Lanthanide
Actinide

The two long rows are the lanthanides and actinides. They sit in the gap marked on period 6 and period 7 so the table stays a shape you can read. The mass number is the most common isotope where one is stable. It is not a decimal atomic weight.

All 118 elements, in order

1 H Hydrogen: The lightest element. Stars are mostly hydrogen, and so is the H in water. Mass number 1 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
2 He Helium: A light gas that does not burn. It fills party balloons and is the second most common element in the sun. Mass number 4 for the most common isotope. Noble gas.
3 Li Lithium: A soft metal. A little of it sits in rechargeable batteries and, as a medicine, in some mood treatments. Mass number 7 for the most common isotope. Alkali metal.
4 Be Beryllium: A light, stiff metal used in a few special alloys. Dust from it is harmful to breathe. Mass number 9 for the most common isotope. Alkaline earth.
5 B Boron: A hard, dark element. Borax and heat-resistant glass both contain boron. Mass number 11 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
6 C Carbon: The backbone of life, and of coal, diamond, graphite and pencil lead. Mass number 12 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
7 N Nitrogen: Most of the air you breathe. Plants need it, and so does every protein. Mass number 14 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
8 O Oxygen: The part of air that fires and lungs both use. Water is one oxygen atom and two of hydrogen. Mass number 16 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
9 F Fluorine: The most reactive element. A tiny amount of fluoride is added to some water supplies. Mass number 19 for the most common isotope. Halogen.
10 Ne Neon: A gas that glows red-orange when electricity passes through it. The classic “neon” sign. Mass number 20 for the most common isotope. Noble gas.
11 Na Sodium: A soft metal that reacts with water. Table salt is sodium joined to chlorine. Mass number 23 for the most common isotope. Alkali metal.
12 Mg Magnesium: A light metal that burns with a white flame. It is also in chlorophyll, which makes leaves green. Mass number 24 for the most common isotope. Alkaline earth.
13 Al Aluminium: A light metal used for cans, foil and aircraft. Also spelled aluminum. It is the most common metal in the Earth’s crust. Mass number 27 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
14 Si Silicon: The stuff of sand and of computer chips. Not the same word as silicone, which is a rubbery compound. Mass number 28 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
15 P Phosphorus: Essential in bones and in DNA. White phosphorus glows faintly and catches fire easily. Mass number 31 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
16 S Sulfur: A yellow solid. It smells like struck matches and sits in some hot springs. Mass number 32 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
17 Cl Chlorine: A green-yellow gas used, in tiny amounts, to disinfect water. Joined with sodium it is table salt. Mass number 35 for the most common isotope. Halogen.
18 Ar Argon: Almost one percent of air. It fills some light bulbs because it does not react. Mass number 40 for the most common isotope. Noble gas.
19 K Potassium: A soft metal. In the body it helps nerves fire. Bananas are a well-known source of the ion. Mass number 39 for the most common isotope. Alkali metal.
20 Ca Calcium: The metal in chalk, limestone and bones. A reactive metal on its own. Mass number 40 for the most common isotope. Alkaline earth.
21 Sc Scandium: A light, uncommon metal added to some aluminium alloys to make them stronger. Mass number 45 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
22 Ti Titanium: A strong, light metal that does not rust easily. Used in aircraft and in some joint replacements. Mass number 48 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
23 V Vanadium: Added to steel to make it tougher. A little of it is in some crude oils. Mass number 51 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
24 Cr Chromium: The shiny coat on chrome plating, and the metal that makes stainless steel resist rust. Mass number 52 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
25 Mn Manganese: A hard metal added to steel. A small amount is also needed in the human diet. Mass number 55 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
26 Fe Iron: The most used metal. It makes steel, and the haemoglobin that carries oxygen in blood. Mass number 56 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
27 Co Cobalt: A metal that gives some blue glass its colour, and that sits in many lithium-ion batteries. Mass number 59 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
28 Ni Nickel: A tough metal in coins, stainless steel and the heating wires of some toasters. Mass number 58 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
29 Cu Copper: A red metal that carries electricity well. Most electrical wire is copper. Mass number 63 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
30 Zn Zinc: A metal used to coat steel so it does not rust, and in the inside of many batteries. Mass number 64 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
31 Ga Gallium: A metal that melts in a warm hand. It is used in some LEDs and phone chips. Mass number 69 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
32 Ge Germanium: An early transistor material. It is still used in fibre optics and some infrared lenses. Mass number 74 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
33 As Arsenic: A well-known poison in some of its compounds. Tiny amounts appear in some semiconductors. Mass number 75 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
34 Se Selenium: Needed by the body in very small amounts. Too much is poisonous. It also helps make some glass red. Mass number 80 for the most common isotope. Nonmetal.
35 Br Bromine: A dark red liquid element, unusual because it is a liquid at room temperature. Its fumes are harsh. Mass number 79 for the most common isotope. Halogen.
36 Kr Krypton: A rare gas in the air. Some bright camera flashes and windows use it. Mass number 84 for the most common isotope. Noble gas.
37 Rb Rubidium: A soft metal that catches fire in air. Used in a few atomic clocks. Mass number 85 for the most common isotope. Alkali metal.
38 Sr Strontium: A metal whose salts burn red in fireworks. The bones can take it up in place of calcium. Mass number 88 for the most common isotope. Alkaline earth.
39 Y Yttrium: A metal used in red phosphors and in some superconducting ceramics. Mass number 89 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
40 Zr Zirconium: A metal that resists corrosion. It lines some nuclear reactors and appears in a few gemstones. Mass number 90 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
41 Nb Niobium: A metal added to steel for pipelines and jet engines. It is also used in superconducting magnets. Mass number 93 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
42 Mo Molybdenum: A hard metal that toughens steel. Plants and animals need a trace of it. Mass number 98 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
43 Tc Technetium: The lightest element with no stable form. Hospitals use a short-lived form of it in scans. No stable form. Transition metal.
44 Ru Ruthenium: A rare hard metal. A thin coat of it hardens electrical contacts. Mass number 102 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
45 Rh Rhodium: A shiny, expensive metal. It is the reflective coating in some jewellery and in catalytic converters. Mass number 103 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
46 Pd Palladium: A metal that absorbs hydrogen and helps clean car exhaust. Also used in some jewellery. Mass number 106 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
47 Ag Silver: The best everyday conductor of electricity. It is the white metal of coins, mirrors and film. Mass number 107 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
48 Cd Cadmium: A soft, toxic metal once common in rechargeable batteries and yellow paint. Mass number 114 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
49 In Indium: A soft metal that makes the clear conducting layer in many touch screens. Mass number 115 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
50 Sn Tin: A familiar coating on steel cans, and half of the solder that joins electronic parts. Mass number 120 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
51 Sb Antimony: A brittle metalloid used to harden lead in batteries and in some flame retardants. Mass number 121 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
52 Te Tellurium: A rare metalloid added to some steel and to alloys that turn heat into electricity. Mass number 130 for the most common isotope. Metalloid.
53 I Iodine: A dark solid that turns to a purple vapour. A little of it is essential in the diet, often from iodised salt. Mass number 127 for the most common isotope. Halogen.
54 Xe Xenon: A heavy gas used in some car headlights, spacecraft ion thrusters and anaesthetic. Mass number 132 for the most common isotope. Noble gas.
55 Cs Caesium: A soft gold-coloured metal, also spelled cesium. The official second is defined with a caesium atomic clock. Mass number 133 for the most common isotope. Alkali metal.
56 Ba Barium: A metal whose compounds make drilling mud heavier and show the gut on some X-rays. Mass number 138 for the most common isotope. Alkaline earth.
57 La Lanthanum: The first of the lanthanides, the long row pulled out under the main table. Used in some camera lenses. Mass number 139 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
58 Ce Cerium: The most common lanthanide. Its oxide polishes glass and helps catalytic converters. Mass number 140 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
59 Pr Praseodymium: A metal that gives a yellow tint to some glass and strengthens magnets when mixed with neodymium. Mass number 141 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
60 Nd Neodymium: The metal in the strong magnets of headphones, hard drives and many electric motors. Mass number 142 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
61 Pm Promethium: No stable form. A little of it has been used in tiny nuclear batteries and luminous paint. No stable form. Lanthanide.
62 Sm Samarium: Used in strong magnets that keep working when they get hot, and in some cancer treatments. Mass number 152 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
63 Eu Europium: The red glow in older television phosphors, and a security dye in some banknotes. Mass number 153 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
64 Gd Gadolinium: A contrast agent in some MRI scans, and a metal that soaks up neutrons in reactors. Mass number 158 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
65 Tb Terbium: Gives a green glow in some lamps and screens, and helps some electronic devices change shape in a magnetic field. Mass number 159 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
66 Dy Dysprosium: Added to neodymium magnets so they do not lose strength when hot. Mass number 164 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
67 Ho Holmium: Has one of the strongest magnetic moments of any element. Used in a few lasers and magnets. Mass number 165 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
68 Er Erbium: A pink salt, and the dopant that amplifies the light in many fibre-optic cables. Mass number 166 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
69 Tm Thulium: One of the rarest lanthanides. A portable X-ray source has used a radioactive form of it. Mass number 169 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
70 Yb Ytterbium: A soft metal used in some atomic clocks and in stainless steel. Mass number 174 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
71 Lu Lutetium: The last lanthanide. A radioactive form is used in a few medical scans. Mass number 175 for the most common isotope. Lanthanide.
72 Hf Hafnium: A metal that absorbs neutrons. It is used in reactor control rods and in some superalloys. Mass number 180 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
73 Ta Tantalum: A metal that resists acid. Tiny capacitors in phones often contain it. Mass number 181 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
74 W Tungsten: The metal with the highest melting point. It is the filament in old light bulbs and the tip of many drill bits. Mass number 184 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
75 Re Rhenium: One of the rarest metals in the crust. A little of it lets jet-engine alloys run hotter. Mass number 187 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
76 Os Osmium: The densest element commonly listed. A hard, brittle metal used in a few pen tips and electrical contacts. Mass number 192 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
77 Ir Iridium: A very dense, corrosion-proof metal. The worldwide layer of it is one clue to the asteroid that ended the dinosaurs. Mass number 193 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
78 Pt Platinum: A precious metal that does not tarnish. Catalytic converters and some laboratory ware use it. Mass number 195 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
79 Au Gold: A soft yellow metal that barely reacts. Used for jewellery, coins and a thin coat on electrical contacts. Mass number 197 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
80 Hg Mercury: The only metal that is liquid at room temperature. It is toxic. Older thermometers used it. Mass number 202 for the most common isotope. Transition metal.
81 Tl Thallium: A soft, toxic metal. Some of its compounds were once used as rat poison. Mass number 205 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
82 Pb Lead: A heavy, soft metal. Old pipes, weights and car batteries use it. Dust and chips of lead paint are a health risk. Mass number 208 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
83 Bi Bismuth: A brittle metal with a faint pink shine. Some stomach medicines contain a bismuth compound. Mass number 209 for the most common isotope. Post-transition metal.
84 Po Polonium: No stable form. Intensely radioactive. It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie. No stable form. Post-transition metal.
85 At Astatine: No stable form. The rarest naturally occurring element in the Earth’s crust. No stable form. Halogen.
86 Rn Radon: A radioactive gas that can seep from the ground into houses. Ventilation is how people keep it low. No stable form. Noble gas.
87 Fr Francium: No stable form. Any sample large enough to see would destroy itself with its own radioactivity. No stable form. Alkali metal.
88 Ra Radium: A radioactive metal once painted on watch dials so they glowed. That use was abandoned because it harmed the workers. No stable form. Alkaline earth.
89 Ac Actinium: The first actinide. No stable form. It occurs in tiny traces in uranium ore. No stable form. Actinide.
90 Th Thorium: A radioactive metal more common than uranium. Some countries have studied it as a reactor fuel. No stable form. Actinide.
91 Pa Protactinium: A rare radioactive metal that sits in the decay chain between uranium and actinium. No stable form. Actinide.
92 U Uranium: A heavy radioactive metal. One scarce form of it is the fuel of nuclear reactors and the core of some weapons. No stable form. Actinide.
93 Np Neptunium: The first element made in a laboratory that is heavier than uranium. No stable form. No stable form. Actinide.
94 Pu Plutonium: Made in reactors. One form is a fuel and a weapons material. It is dangerously radioactive if breathed or swallowed. No stable form. Actinide.
95 Am Americium: A synthetic element. A tiny amount of it sits in many household smoke detectors. No stable form. Actinide.
96 Cm Curium: Named for Marie and Pierre Curie. It has powered a few scientific instruments on space missions. No stable form. Actinide.
97 Bk Berkelium: Made a few atoms at a time. Named for Berkeley, California, where it was first produced. No stable form. Actinide.
98 Cf Californium: A strong source of neutrons. A little of it is used to start up some reactors and to scan cargo. No stable form. Actinide.
99 Es Einsteinium: Named for Albert Einstein. First found in the debris of a hydrogen-bomb test. No stable form. Actinide.
100 Fm Fermium: Named for Enrico Fermi. Also first found in bomb debris. No stable form. No stable form. Actinide.
101 Md Mendelevium: Named for Dmitri Mendeleev, who built the first useful periodic table. No stable form. Actinide.
102 No Nobelium: Named for Alfred Nobel. Made only in tiny amounts. No stable form. Actinide.
103 Lr Lawrencium: Named for Ernest Lawrence, inventor of the cyclotron. The last of the actinides. No stable form. Actinide.
104 Rf Rutherfordium: The first element beyond the actinides. Named for Ernest Rutherford. Only a few atoms have been made. No stable form. Transition metal.
105 Db Dubnium: Named for Dubna in Russia, one of the laboratories that made it. No stable form. No stable form. Transition metal.
106 Sg Seaborgium: Named for Glenn Seaborg, who helped build the modern table. Only a few atoms at a time. No stable form. Transition metal.
107 Bh Bohrium: Named for Niels Bohr. Made in a laboratory. No stable form. No stable form. Transition metal.
108 Hs Hassium: Named for the German state of Hesse. A few atoms have been studied. No stable form. Transition metal.
109 Mt Meitnerium: Named for Lise Meitner, who explained nuclear fission. No stable form. No stable form. Transition metal.
110 Ds Darmstadtium: Named for Darmstadt, where it was first made. Only a handful of atoms. No stable form. Transition metal.
111 Rg Roentgenium: Named for Wilhelm Röntgen, who discovered X-rays. No stable form. No stable form. Transition metal.
112 Cn Copernicium: Named for Nicolaus Copernicus. Expected to be a dense metal. Only a few atoms have been made. No stable form. Transition metal.
113 Nh Nihonium: Named from a Japanese word for Japan. First made at RIKEN. No stable form. No stable form. Post-transition metal.
114 Fl Flerovium: Named for the Flerov laboratory in Dubna. Only a few atoms have been made. No stable form. Post-transition metal.
115 Mc Moscovium: Named for the Moscow region. No stable form. No stable form. Post-transition metal.
116 Lv Livermorium: Named for the Lawrence Livermore laboratory. Only a few atoms at a time. No stable form. Post-transition metal.
117 Ts Tennessine: Named for Tennessee. A halogen on the table, but only a few atoms have ever been made. No stable form. Halogen.
118 Og Oganesson: Named for Yuri Oganessian. It sits under the noble gases. Only a few atoms have been made, and they fall apart at once. No stable form. Noble gas.

Questions people ask

Why are two rows pulled out?

The lanthanides and actinides belong in periods 6 and 7. Showing them underneath keeps the main table from being too wide to read.

What is the number in the corner?

The atomic number: how many protons the atom has. That number is what makes it that element.

Why is there no mass for some elements?

They have no stable form. Listing one laboratory isotope as if it were the ordinary kind would be misleading, so the page says “no stable form” instead.

Names, numbers and the most common isotope are standard reference facts. The sentences are written for this page.

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