Report on any metal in chemistry. Complete list of metals known to science

Properties chemical elements allow you to combine them into appropriate groups. On this principle, a periodic system was created that changed the idea of ​​existing substances and made it possible to assume the existence of new, previously unknown elements.

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Periodic system of Mendeleev

The Periodic Table of Chemical Elements was compiled by D. I. Mendeleev in the second half of the 19th century. What is it, and why is it needed? It combines all the chemical elements in order of increasing atomic weight, and all of them are arranged so that their properties change in a periodic manner.

Periodic system of Mendeleev brought into single system all existing elements, previously considered to be simply separate substances.

Based on its study, new chemicals were predicted and subsequently synthesized. The significance of this discovery for science cannot be overestimated., it was far ahead of its time and gave impetus to the development of chemistry for many decades.

There are three most common table options, which are conventionally referred to as "short", "long" and "extra long". ». The main table is considered to be a long table, it approved officially. The difference between them is the layout of the elements and the length of the periods.

What is a period

The system contains 7 periods. They are represented graphically as horizontal lines. In this case, the period can have one or two lines, called rows. Each subsequent element differs from the previous one by increasing the nuclear charge (the number of electrons) by one.

Put simply, a period is a horizontal row in the periodic table. Each of them begins with a metal and ends with an inert gas. Actually, this creates periodicity - the properties of elements change within one period, repeating again in the next. The first, second and third periods are incomplete, they are called small and contain 2, 8 and 8 elements, respectively. The rest are complete, they have 18 elements each.

What is a group

Group is a vertical column, containing elements with the same electronic structure or, more simply, with the same higher . The officially approved long table contains 18 groups that start with alkali metals and end with inert gases.

Each group has its own name, which makes it easier to find or classify elements. The metallic properties are enhanced regardless of the element in the direction from top to bottom. This is due to an increase in the number of atomic orbits - the more there are, the weaker the electronic bonds, which makes the crystal lattice more pronounced.

Metals in the periodic table

Metals in the table Mendeleev have a predominant number, their list is quite extensive. They are characterized common features, according to their properties, they are heterogeneous and are divided into groups. Some of them have little in common with metals in the physical sense, while others can only exist for fractions of a second and are absolutely not found in nature (at least on the planet), because they were created, more precisely, calculated and confirmed in the laboratory, artificially. Each group has its own characteristics, the name is quite noticeably different from the others. This difference is especially pronounced in the first group.

The position of the metals

What is the position of metals in periodic system? Items are arranged in ascending order. atomic mass or the number of electrons and protons. Their properties change periodically, so there is no neat one-to-one placement in the table. How to determine metals, and is it possible to do this according to the periodic table? In order to simplify the question, a special trick was invented: conditionally, a diagonal line is drawn from Bor to Polonius (or to Astatine) at the junctions of the elements. Those on the left are metals, those on the right are non-metals. It would be very simple and great, but there are exceptions - Germanium and Antimony.

Such a “method” is a kind of cheat sheet, it was invented only to simplify the memorization process. For a more accurate representation, remember that the list of non-metals is only 22 elements, therefore, answering the question of how many metals are contained in the periodic table

In the figure, you can clearly see which elements are non-metals and how they are arranged in the table by groups and periods.

General physical properties

There are general physical properties of metals. These include:

• Plastic.
• characteristic brilliance.
• Electrical conductivity.
• High thermal conductivity.
• Everything except mercury is in a solid state.

It should be understood that the properties of metals are very different with respect to their chemical or physical nature. Some of them bear little resemblance to metals in the ordinary sense of the term. For example, mercury occupies a special position. Under normal conditions, it is in a liquid state, does not have a crystal lattice, the presence of which owes its properties to other metals. The properties of the latter in this case are conditional; mercury is related to them to a greater extent by chemical characteristics.

Interesting! Elements of the first group, alkali metals, are not found in pure form, being part of various compounds.

The softest metal that exists in nature - cesium - belongs to this group. He, like other alkaline similar substances, has little in common with more typical metals. Some sources claim that in fact, the softest metal is potassium, which is difficult to dispute or confirm, since neither one nor the other element exists on its own - being released as a result of a chemical reaction, they quickly oxidize or react.

The second group of metals - alkaline earth - is much closer to the main groups. The name "alkaline earth" comes from ancient times, when oxides were called "earths" because they have a loose crumbly structure. More or less familiar (in the everyday sense) properties are possessed by metals starting from the 3rd group. As the group number increases, the amount of metals decreases.

Metals (from lat. metallum - mine, mine) - a group of elements, in the form of simple substances with characteristic metallic properties, such as high thermal and electrical conductivity, positive temperature coefficient of resistance, high ductility and metallic luster.

Of the 118 chemical elements discovered on this moment(of which not all are officially recognized), metals include:

• 6 elements in the alkali metal group,
• 6 in the group of alkaline earth metals,
• 38 in the transition metal group,
• 11 in the group of light metals,
• 7 in the group of semimetals,
• 14 in the group of lanthanides + lanthanum,
• 14 in the group of actinides (physical properties have not been studied for all elements) + actinium,
• outside certain groups beryllium and magnesium.

Thus, 96 elements out of all those discovered may belong to metals.

In astrophysics, the term "metal" can have a different meaning and refer to all chemical elements heavier than helium.

Characteristic properties of metals

1. Metallic luster (characteristic not only for metals: non-metals iodine and carbon in the form of graphite also have it)
2. Good electrical conductivity
3. Possibility of light machining
4. High density (usually metals are heavier than non-metals)
5. High melting point (exceptions: mercury, gallium and alkali metals)
6. Great thermal conductivity
7. In reactions, they are most often reducing agents.

Physical Properties metals

All metals (except mercury and, conditionally, France) at normal conditions are situated in solid state, however, have different hardness. Below is the hardness of some metals on the Mohs scale.

Melting points pure metals range from -39 °C (mercury) to 3410 °C (tungsten). The melting point of most metals (with the exception of alkalis) is high, but some "normal" metals, such as tin and lead, can be melted on a conventional electric or gas stove.

Depending on the density, metals are divided into light (density 0.53 ÷ 5 g / cm³) and heavy (5 ÷ 22.5 g / cm³). The lightest metal is lithium (density 0.53 g/cm³). It is currently impossible to name the heaviest metal, since the densities of osmium and iridium - the two heaviest metals - are almost equal (about 22.6 g / cm³ - exactly twice the density of lead), and it is extremely difficult to calculate their exact density: for this you need completely clean metals, because any impurities reduce their density.

Most metals plastic, that is, a metal wire can be bent, and it will not break. This is due to the displacement of the layers of metal atoms without breaking the bond between them. The most plastic are gold, silver and copper. Gold can be used to make foil with a thickness of 0.003 mm, which is used for gilding products. However, not all metals are plastic. Zinc or tin wire crunches when bent; manganese and bismuth do not bend at all during deformation, but immediately break. Plasticity also depends on the purity of the metal; Thus, very pure chromium is very ductile, but contaminated with even minor impurities, it becomes brittle and harder. Some metals such as gold, silver, lead, aluminium, osmium can grow together, but this can take decades.

All metals are good conduct electric current; this is due to the presence in their crystal lattices of mobile electrons moving under the action of an electric field. Silver, copper and aluminum have the highest electrical conductivity; for this reason, the last two metals are most often used as a material for wires. Sodium also has a very high electrical conductivity; attempts are known to use sodium conductors in the form of thin-walled stainless steel tubes filled with sodium in experimental equipment. Thanks to the small specific gravity sodium, with equal resistance, sodium "wires" are much lighter than copper and even slightly lighter than aluminum.

The high thermal conductivity of metals also depends on the mobility of free electrons. Therefore, the series of thermal conductivities is similar to the series of electrical conductivities and the best conductor of heat, like electricity, is silver. Sodium also finds use as a good conductor of heat; It is widely known, for example, the use of sodium in the valves of automobile engines to improve their cooling.

Color most metals are approximately the same - light gray with a bluish tint. Gold, copper, and cesium are yellow, red, and light yellow, respectively.

Chemical properties of metals

At the external electronic level, most metals have a small number of electrons (1-3), so in most reactions they act as reducing agents (that is, they “give away” their electrons)

Reactions with simple substances

• All metals react with oxygen except gold and platinum. The reaction with silver occurs at high temperatures, but silver(II) oxide is practically not formed, since it is thermally unstable. Depending on the metal, the output may be oxides, peroxides, superoxides:

lithium oxide

sodium peroxide

potassium superoxide

To obtain oxide from peroxide, the peroxide is reduced with a metal:

With medium and low-active metals, the reaction occurs when heated:

• Only the most active metals react with nitrogen, only lithium interacts at room temperature, forming nitrides:

When heated:

• All metals react with sulfur except gold and platinum:

Iron reacts with sulfur when heated to form sulfide:

• Only the most active metals react with hydrogen, that is, metals of groups IA and IIA, except for Be. The reactions are carried out when heated, and hydrides are formed. In reactions, the metal acts as a reducing agent, the oxidation state of hydrogen is −1:

• Only the most active metals react with carbon. In this case, acetylenides or methanides are formed. Acetylides, when interacting with water, give acetylene, methanides - methane.

Several scientific disciplines (materials and metal science, physics, chemistry) study the properties and characteristics of metals. There is a generally accepted classification. However, each of the disciplines in their study relies on special specialized parameters that are in the field of its interests. On the other hand, all the sciences that study metals and alloys adhere to the same point of view that there are two main groups: black and non-ferrous.

Signs of metals

There are the following main mechanical properties:

• Hardness - determines the ability of one material to resist the penetration of another, harder one.
• Fatigue is the amount and time of cyclic impacts that a material can withstand without changing its integrity.
• Strength. It consists in the following: if you apply a dynamic, static or alternating load, this will not lead to a change in the shape, structure and dimensions, a violation of the internal and external integrity of the metal.
• Plasticity is the ability to maintain integrity and the resulting shape during deformation.
• Elasticity is a deformation without breaking the integrity under the influence of certain forces, and also after getting rid of the load, the ability to return to its original shape.
• Resistance to cracks - under the influence of external forces in the material, they are not formed, and external integrity is also maintained.
• Wear resistance - the ability to maintain external and internal integrity during prolonged friction.
• Viscosity - maintaining integrity under increasing physical stress.
• Heat resistance - resistance to change in size, shape and destruction when exposed to high temperatures.

Metal classification

Metals include materials that have a combination of mechanical, technological, operational, physical and chemical characteristic properties:

• mechanical confirm the ability to resist deformation and destruction;
• technological evidence of the ability to different kind processing;
• operational reflect the nature of the change during operation;
• chemical show interaction with various substances;
• physical ones indicate how the material behaves in different fields - thermal, electromagnetic, gravitational.

According to the metal classification system, all existing materials are divided into two volume groups: black and color. Technological and mechanical properties are also closely related. For example, the strength of a metal can be the result of proper processing. For these purposes, the so-called hardening and "aging" are used.

Chemical, physical and mechanical properties are closely interconnected, since the composition of the material determines all its other parameters. For example, refractory metals are the strongest. Properties that manifest themselves at rest are called physical, and under external influence - mechanical. There are also tables for classifying metals by density - the main component, manufacturing technology, melting point, and others.

Black metals

Materials belonging to this group have the same properties: impressive density, high melting point and dark gray color. To the first big group ferrous metals belong to the following:

Non-ferrous metals

The second largest group has a low density, good ductility, low melting point, predominant colors (white, yellow, red) and consists of the following metals:

• Lungs - magnesium, strontium, cesium, calcium. In nature, they are found only in strong compounds. They are used to obtain light alloys for various purposes.
• Noble. Examples of metals: platinum, gold, silver. They are highly resistant to corrosion.
• Fusible - cadmium, mercury, tin, zinc. They have a low melting point, are involved in the production of various alloys.

The low strength of non-ferrous metals does not allow them to be used in their pure form, so they are used in industry in the form of alloys.

Copper and copper alloys

In its pure form, it has a pinkish-red color, low resistivity, low density, good thermal conductivity, excellent ductility, and corrosion resistance. Widely used as conductor electric current. For technical needs, two types of copper alloys are used: brass (copper with zinc) and bronze (copper with aluminum, tin, nickel and other metals). Brass is used for the manufacture of sheets, tapes, pipes, wires, fittings, bushings, bearings. Flat and round springs, membranes, various fittings, worm gears are made from bronze.

Aluminum and alloys

This very light metal, having a silvery-white color, has a high corrosion resistance. It has good electrical conductivity and ductility. Due to its characteristics, it has found application in the food, light and electrical industries, as well as in aircraft construction. Aluminum alloys are very often used in mechanical engineering for the manufacture of critical parts.

Magnesium, titanium and their alloys

Magnesium is resistant to corrosion, but there is no lighter metal used for technical needs. Basically, it is added to alloys with other materials: zinc, manganese, aluminum, which are perfectly cut and are quite strong. The bodies of cameras, various instruments and engines are made from alloys with light metal magnesium. Titanium has found its application in the rocket industry, as well as mechanical engineering for the chemical industry. Titanium-containing alloys have a low density, excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. They lend themselves well to pressure treatment.

Anti-friction alloys

Such alloys are defined to increase the life of friction surfaces. They combine following characteristics metal - good thermal conductivity, low melting point, microporosity, low coefficient of friction. Antifriction alloys include alloys based on lead, aluminum, copper or tin. The most used include:

• babbitt. It is made from lead and tin. Used in the manufacture of bearing shells that operate on high speeds and under shock loads;
• aluminum alloys;
• bronze;
• cermet materials;
• cast iron.

soft metals

According to the classification system of metals, these are gold, copper, silver, aluminum, but among the softest are cesium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and others. Gold is highly dispersed in nature. It is in sea ​​water, the human body, and it can also be found in almost any piece of granite. In its pure form, gold is yellow with a hint of red, since the metal is soft - it can be scratched even with a fingernail. Under the influence of the environment, gold quickly collapses. This metal is indispensable for electrical contacts. Despite the fact that silver is twenty times more than gold, it is also rare.

Used to make tableware, jewelry. The light metal sodium has also become widespread and is in demand in almost every industry, including the chemical industry for the production of fertilizers and antiseptics.

The metal is mercury, although it is in a liquid state, therefore it is considered one of the softest in the world. This material is used in the defense and chemical industries, agriculture, electrical engineering.

hard metals

In nature, there are practically no hardest metals, so it is very difficult to extract them. In most cases they are found in fallen meteorites. Chromium belongs to the refractory metals and is the hardest of the purest on our planet, moreover, it is easily machined.

Tungsten is a chemical element. It is considered the hardest when compared with other metals. Has an extremely high melting point. Despite its hardness, any desired details can be forged from it. Due to its heat resistance and flexibility, it is the most suitable material for smelting small elements used in lighting fixtures. The refractory metal tungsten is the main substance of heavy alloys.

Metals in energy

Metals containing free electrons and positive ions are considered good conductors. This is a fairly popular material, characterized by plasticity, high electrical conductivity and the ability to easily donate electrons.

They are used to make power, radio frequency and special wires, parts for electrical installations, machines, and household appliances. The leaders in the use of metals for the manufacture of cable products are:

• lead - for greater resistance to corrosion;
• copper - for high electrical conductivity, ease of processing, resistance to corrosion and sufficient mechanical strength;
• aluminum - for low weight, vibration resistance, strength and melting point.

Categories of ferrous secondary metals

There are certain requirements for ferrous metal waste. To send alloys to steel furnaces, certain processing operations will be required. Before submitting an application for the transportation of waste, you must familiarize yourself with the GOST of ferrous metals to determine its cost. Black secondary scrap is classified into steel and cast iron. If alloying additives are present in the composition, then it is classified as category "B". Category "A" includes carbon: steel, cast iron, additives.

Metallurgists and foundry workers, due to the limited primary raw material base, are showing an active interest in secondary raw materials. Use of ferrous scrap instead metal ore is a resource and energy-saving solution. Secondary ferrous metal is used as a converter smelting cooler.

The range of applications for metals is incredibly wide. Black and colored are used unlimitedly in the construction and machine industries. Not to do without non-ferrous metals and in the energy industry. Rare and precious are used to make jewelry. Both non-ferrous and ferrous metals are used in art and medicine. It is impossible to imagine a person's life without them, ranging from household items to unique instruments and apparatus.

Look around for a second... How many metal things can you see? Usually when we think of metals, we think of substances that are shiny and durable. However, they are also found in our food and in our bodies. Let's get acquainted with the full list of metals, known to science, learn their basic properties and find out why they are so special.

Elements that lose electrons easily, that are shiny (reflective), malleable (can be molded into other shapes), and are considered good conductors of heat and electricity are called metals. They are crucial to our way of life, as they are not only part of structures and technologies, but also essential to the production of almost all items. Metal is even in human body. When you look at a multivitamin's ingredient label, you'll see dozens of compounds listed.

You may not have known that elements such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and zinc are essential for life, and if they are missing from our bodies, our health can be in serious danger. For example, calcium is needed for healthy bones, magnesium - for metabolism. Zinc enhances immune system function, while iron helps blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. However, the metals in our bodies differ from the metal in a spoon or steel bridge in that they have lost electrons. They are called cations.

Metals also have antibiotic properties, so railings and handles in in public places often made from these elements. It is known that many tools are made of silver to prevent the growth of bacteria. Artificial joints are made from titanium alloys, which both prevent infection and make recipients stronger.

Metals in the periodic table

All elements in Dmitri Mendeleev are divided into two large groups: metals and non-metals. The first is the most numerous. Most elements are metals (blue). Non-metals in the table are shown on a yellow background. There is also a group of elements that are classified as metalloids (red). All metals are grouped on the left side of the table. Note that hydrogen is grouped with metals in the upper left corner. Despite this, it is considered non-metallic. However, some scientists theorize that there may be metallic hydrogen in the core of the planet Jupiter.

metal bonding

Many of the wonderful useful qualities An element has to do with how its atoms connect to each other. This creates certain connections. The metallic interaction of atoms leads to the creation of metallic structures. Any instance of this element in Everyday life, from the car to the coins in your pocket, includes a metal connection.

During this process, the metal atoms share their outer electrons evenly with each other. Electrons flowing between positively charged ions easily transfer heat and electricity, making these elements such good conductors of heat and electricity. Copper wires are used for power supply.

Reactions of metals

Reactivity refers to the tendency of an element to react with chemicals in his environment. She is different. Some metals, such as potassium and sodium (in columns 1 and 2 of the periodic table), react readily with many different chemicals and are rarely found in their pure, elemental form. Both usually exist only in compounds (bonded to one or more other elements) or as ions (a charged version of their elemental form).

On the other hand, there are other metals, they are also called jewelry. Gold, silver and platinum are not very reactive and usually occur in their pure form. lose electrons more easily than non-metals, but not as easily as reactive metals such as sodium. Platinum is relatively non-reactive and very resistant to reactions with oxygen.

Element properties

When you learned the alphabet in primary school, you've discovered that all letters have their own unique set of properties. For example, some had straight lines, some had curves, and others had both types of lines. The same can be said about the elements. Each of them has a unique set of physical and chemical properties. Physical properties are qualities inherent in certain substances. Shiny or not, how well it conducts heat and electricity, at what temperature it melts, how high its density is.

Chemical properties include those qualities that are observed in response to exposure to oxygen if they burn (how difficult it will be for them to hold their electrons during a chemical reaction). Different elements can share common properties. For example, iron and copper are both elements that conduct electricity. However, they do not have the same properties. For example, when iron is exposed to moist air, it rusts, but when copper is exposed to the same conditions, it acquires a specific green coating. That's why the Statue of Liberty is green and not rusty. It is made of copper, not iron).

Organizing the Elements: Metals and Nonmetals

The fact that the elements have some common and unique properties allows them to be sorted into a nice, neat chart called the periodic table. It organizes elements based on their atomic number and properties. So, in the periodic table, we find elements grouped together that have common properties. Iron and copper are close to each other, both are metals. Iron is denoted by the symbol "Fe" and copper is denoted by the symbol "Cu".

Most of the elements in the periodic table are metals, and they tend to be on the left side of the table. They cluster together because they have certain physical and chemical properties. For example, metals are dense, shiny, they are good conductors of heat and electricity, and they easily lose electrons in chemical reactions. In contrast, non-metals have opposite properties. They are not dense, do not conduct heat and electricity, and tend to gain electrons rather than give them away. When we look at the periodic table, we see that most of the non-metals are grouped on the right. These are elements such as helium, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.

What are heavy metals?

The list of metals is quite numerous. Some of them can accumulate in the body and not harm it, such as natural strontium (formula Sr), which is an analogue of calcium, as it is productively deposited in bone tissue. Which of them are called heavy and why? Consider four examples: lead, copper, mercury, and arsenic.

Where are these elements located and how do they affect environment and human health? Heavy metals are metallic, naturally occurring compounds that have a very high density compared to other metals - at least five times the density of water. They are toxic to humans. Even small doses can lead to serious consequences.

• Lead. It is a heavy metal that is toxic to humans, especially children. Poisoning with this substance can lead to neurological problems. Although it was once very attractive due to its flexibility, high density and ability to absorb harmful radiation, lead has been phased out in many ways. This soft, silvery metal found on Earth is dangerous to humans and accumulates in the body over time. The worst thing is that you can't get rid of it. It sits there, accumulates and gradually poisons the body. Lead is toxic to nervous system and can cause severe brain damage in children. It was widely used in the 1800s to create makeup and until 1978 was used as one of the ingredients in hair dye. Today, lead is used primarily in large batteries, as shields for X-rays, or as insulation for radioactive material.
• Copper. It is a reddish brown heavy metal that has many uses. Copper is still one of the best conductors of electricity and heat, and many electrical wires are made from this metal and covered in plastic. Coins, mostly small change, are also made from this element of the periodic system. Acute copper poisoning is rare, but like lead, it can accumulate in tissues, eventually leading to toxicity. People who are exposed large quantity copper or copper dust are also at risk.
• Mercury. This metal is toxic in any form and can even be absorbed by the skin. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is liquid at room temperature, it is sometimes called "fast silver". It can be seen in a thermometer because, as a liquid, it absorbs heat, changing volume with even the slightest difference in temperature. This allows the mercury to rise or fall in the glass tube. Since this substance is a powerful neurotoxin, many companies are switching to red-colored ones.
• Arsenic. From the time of the Roman Empire up to Victorian era arsenic was considered the "king of poisons" and also the "poison of kings". History is riddled with countless examples of both royalty and ordinary people committing murders for personal gain, using arsenic compounds that had no smell, no color, no taste. Despite all the negative influences, this metalloid also has its uses, even in medicine. For example, arsenic trioxide is a very effective drug used to treat people with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

What is a precious metal?

A precious metal is a metal that can be rare or difficult to mine and economically very valuable. What is the list of metals that are precious? There are three in total:

• Platinum. Despite its refractoriness, it is used in jewelry, electronics, automobiles, chemical processes, and even medicine.
• Gold. This a precious metal used to make jewelry and gold coins. However, it has many other uses. It is used in medicine, manufacturing and laboratory equipment.
• Silver. This precious metal silvery white in color is very malleable. in its pure form is quite heavy, it is lighter than lead, but heavier than copper.

Metals: types and properties

Most elements can be considered as metals. They are grouped in the middle on the left side of the table. Metals are alkali, alkaline earth, transition, lanthanides and actinides.

All of them have several common properties, this is:

• solid at room temperature (excluding mercury);
• usually shiny;
• With high temperature melting;
• good conductor of heat and electricity;
• with low ionization ability;
• with low electronegativity;
• malleable (able to take a given shape);
• plastic (can be pulled into a wire);
• with high density;
• a substance that loses electrons in reactions.

List of metals known to science

1. lithium;
2. beryllium;
3. sodium;
4. magnesium;
5. aluminum;
6. potassium;
7. calcium;
8. scandium;
9. titanium;
10. vanadium;
11. chromium;
12. manganese;
13. iron;
14. cobalt;
15. nickel;
16. copper;
17. zinc;
18. gallium;
19. rubidium;
20. strontium;
21. yttrium;
22. zirconium;
23. niobium;
24. molybdenum;
25. technetium;
26. ruthenium;
27. rhodium;
28. palladium;
29. silver;
30. cadmium;
31. indium;
32. copernicia;
33. cesium;
34. barium;
35. tin;
36. iron;
37. bismuth;
38. lead;
39. mercury;
40. tungsten;
41. gold;
42. platinum;
43. osmium;
44. hafnium;
45. germanium;
46. iridium;
47. niobium;
48. rhenium;
49. antimony;
50. thallium;
51. tantalum;
52. francium;
53. livermorium.

In total, about 105 chemical elements are known, most of of which are metals. The latter are a very common element in nature, which occurs both in pure form and as part of various compounds.

Metals occur in the bowels of the earth, they can be found in various water bodies, in the composition of the bodies of animals and humans, in plants and even in the atmosphere. In the periodic table, they range from lithium (a metal with the formula Li) to livermorium (Lv). The table continues to be replenished with new elements, and mostly these are metals.