2.4.2

Chemical Properties

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Chemical Properties of Elements

Chemical properties of elements are properties that can be observed during a chemical reaction. The properties include how likely they are to undergo a chemical reaction.

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Chemical properties

  • The properties of elements that allow them to react and undergo a chemical change are called chemical properties.
  • We will look at the chemical properties of elements on the next slides...
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Toxicity

  • Toxic elements are those that are poisonous to humans and can cause serious illness, even death.
  • Mercury used to fill thermometers but it is easily absorbed through your skin and can be inhaled. Inhalation can cause death.
  • Arsenic is used as a poison. It can also cause cancer.
  • Lead in your body causes vomiting, coma and death. Lead was once used to line water pipes, and can be seen on the periodic table with the element symbol Pb.
    • Pb comes from its latin name, Plumbum.
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Flammability

  • The flammability of an element is how easily it will react with oxygen, causing a fire.
  • If an element is more flammable, it will react with oxygen and burn at a much lower temperature.
  • Hydrogen gas is very flammable. The Hindenberg, a hydrogen-filled German Zeppelin airship in 1937, was destroyed by fire.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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