The most common substance on earth. Oxygen is the most common chemical element on earth, and which element is the second most common

The universe hides many secrets in its depths. Since ancient times, people have sought to unravel as many of them as possible, and, despite the fact that this does not always work out, science is advancing by leaps and bounds, allowing us to learn more and more about our origin. So, for example, many will be interested in what is the most common in the universe. Most people will immediately think of water, and they are partly right, because the most common element is hydrogen.

The most common element in the universe

It is extremely rare that people have to deal with hydrogen in its pure form. However, in nature it is very often found in association with other elements. For example, when hydrogen reacts with oxygen, it turns into water. And this is far from the only compound that includes this element; it is found everywhere not only on our planet, but also in space.

How did the earth come into being

Many millions of years ago, hydrogen, without exaggeration, became the building material for the entire universe. After all, after the big bang, which became the first stage of the creation of the world, there was nothing but this element. elementary, because it consists of only one atom. Over time, the most abundant element in the universe began to form clouds, which later became stars. And already inside them reactions took place, as a result of which new, more complex elements appeared that gave rise to the planets.

Hydrogen

This element accounts for about 92% of the atoms of the universe. But it is found not only in the composition of stars, interstellar gas, but also common elements on our planet. Most often it exists in a bound form, and the most common compound is, of course, water.

In addition, hydrogen is part of a number of carbon compounds that form oil and natural gas.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that this is the most common element in the world, surprisingly, it can be dangerous for humans, because it sometimes ignites when reacting with air. To understand how important a role hydrogen played in the creation of the Universe, it is enough to realize that without it there would be nothing living on Earth.

There is the most common chemical element and the most common substance on our amazing planet, and there is the most common chemical element in the vastness of the Universe.

The most common chemical element on Earth

On our planet, the leader in prevalence is oxygen. It interacts with almost all elements. Its atoms are found in almost all rocks and minerals that form the earth's crust. The modern period in the development of chemistry began precisely with the discovery of this important and paramount chemical element. Scheele, Priestley and Lavoisier share the credit for this discovery. Disputes about which of them is the discoverer have been going on for hundreds of years, and still have not stopped. But the very word "oxygen" was introduced by Lomonosov.

It accounts for a little more than forty-seven percent of the total solid mass of the earth's crust. Bound oxygen makes up almost eighty-nine percent of the mass of fresh and sea water. Free oxygen is found in the atmosphere, making up about twenty-three percent by mass and almost twenty-one percent by volume. At least one and a half thousand compounds of the earth's crust contain oxygen. There are no living cells in the world that do not have this common element. Sixty-five percent of the mass of every living cell is oxygen.


Today, this substance is obtained industrially from the air and supplied under a pressure of 15 MPa in steel cylinders. There are other ways to get it. Spheres of application - food industry, medicine, metallurgy, etc.

Where is the most common element found?

It is almost impossible to find a corner in nature where there would be no oxygen. He is everywhere - in the bowels, and high above the Earth, and under water, and in the water itself. It is found not only in compounds, but also in the free state. Most likely, it is precisely because of this that this element has always been of interest to scientists.


Geologists and chemists are studying the presence of oxygen in combination with all elements. Botanists are interested in studying the processes of nutrition and respiration of plants. Physiologists have not fully figured out the role of oxygen in the life of animals and humans. Physicists are looking to find a new way to use it to create high temperatures.

It is known that regardless of whether it is hot southern air or cold air of the northern regions, the oxygen content in it is always the same and amounts to twenty-one percent.


How is the most common substance used?

As the most abundant known substance on the planet, water is used everywhere. Everything is covered and permeated by this substance, but it remains little studied. Modern science has taken up its in-depth study relatively recently. Scientists have discovered many unexplainable properties of it.


Not a single human economic activity can do without this most common substance. It is difficult to imagine agriculture or industry without water; nuclear reactors, turbines, power plants, where water is used for cooling, will not work without this substance. For domestic needs, people use from year to year an increasing amount of this substance. So a man of the Stone Age per day was quite enough ten liters of water. Today, at least two hundred and twenty liters are used daily for the share of each inhabitant of the Earth. People consist of eighty percent water, every day everyone consumes at least one and a half liters of liquid.

The most common chemical element in the universe

Three-fourths of the entire universe is hydrogen, in other words, this is the most common element in the universe. Water, being the most common substance on our planet, consists of more than eleven percent hydrogen.


In the earth's crust, hydrogen by mass is one percent, however, by the number of atoms - as much as sixteen percent. Such compounds as natural gases, oil and coal cannot do without the presence of hydrogen.

It should be noted that in the free state this common element is extremely rare. On the surface of our planet, it is present in small quantities in some natural gases, including volcanic gases. There is free hydrogen in the atmosphere, but its presence there is extremely small. It is hydrogen that is the element that creates the radiation inner earth belt, like a stream of protons.
But the largest star in the universe has a diameter of 1,391,000. .
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We all know that hydrogen fills our Universe by 75%. But do you know what other chemical elements are that are no less important for our existence and play a significant role in the life of people, animals, plants and our entire Earth? Elements from this rating form our entire Universe!

10. Sulfur (prevalence relative to silicon - 0.38)

This chemical element in the periodic table is listed under the symbol S and is characterized by atomic number 16. Sulfur is very common in nature.

9. Iron (prevalence relative to silicon - 0.6)

Denoted by the symbol Fe, atomic number - 26. Iron is very common in nature, it plays a particularly important role in the formation of the inner and outer shells of the Earth's core.

8. Magnesium (prevalence relative to silicon - 0.91)

In the periodic table, magnesium can be found under the symbol Mg, and its atomic number is 12. What is most surprising about this chemical element is that it is most often released when stars explode in the process of their transformation into supernovae.

7. Silicon (prevalence relative to silicon - 1)

Referred to as Si. The atomic number of silicon is 14. This gray-blue metalloid is very rare in the earth's crust in its pure form, but is quite common in other substances. For example, it can be found even in plants.

6. Carbon (abundance relative to silicon - 3.5)

Carbon in Mendeleev's table of chemical elements is listed under the symbol C, its atomic number is 6. The most famous allotropic modification of carbon is one of the most coveted gems in the world - diamonds. Carbon is also actively used in other industrial purposes for a more everyday purpose.

5. Nitrogen (abundance relative to silicon - 6.6)

Symbol N, atomic number 7. First discovered by Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford, nitrogen occurs most commonly in the form of nitric acid and nitrates.

4. Neon (abundance relative to silicon - 8.6)

It is designated by the symbol Ne, the atomic number is 10. It is no secret that this particular chemical element is associated with a beautiful glow.

3. Oxygen (abundance relative to silicon - 22)

A chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8, oxygen is indispensable for our existence! But this does not mean that it is present only on Earth and serves only for human lungs. The universe is full of surprises.

2. Helium (abundance relative to silicon - 3.100)

Helium symbol is He, atomic number is 2. It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and its boiling point is the lowest among all chemical elements. And thanks to him, the balls soar up!

1. Hydrogen (abundance relative to silicon - 40.000)

The true number one on our list, hydrogen is listed under the symbol H and has atomic number 1. It is the lightest chemical element on the periodic table and the most abundant element in the entire known universe.

It was a sensation - it turns out that the most important substance on Earth consists of two equally important chemical elements. "AiF" decided to look into the periodic table and remember what elements and compounds the Universe exists, as well as life on Earth and human civilization.

HYDROGEN (H)

Where does it meet: the most common element in the universe, its main "building material". It is made up of stars, including the sun. Thanks to thermonuclear fusion involving hydrogen, the Sun will heat our planet for another 6.5 billion years.

What is useful: in industry - in the production of ammonia, soap and plastics. Hydrogen energy has great prospects: this gas does not pollute the environment, because when burned, it gives only water vapor.

CARBON (C)

Where does it meet: Every organism is largely built from carbon. In the human body, this element occupies about 21%. So, our muscles consist of 2/3 of it. In the free state, it occurs in nature in the form of graphite and diamond.

What is useful: food, energy, etc. etc. The class of compounds based on carbon is huge - hydrocarbons, proteins, fats, etc. This element is indispensable in nanotechnology.

NITROGEN (N)

Where does it meet: Earth's atmosphere is 75% nitrogen. It is part of proteins, amino acids, hemoglobin, etc.

What is useful: necessary for the existence of animals and plants. In industry, it is used as a gas medium for packaging and storage, a refrigerant. With its help, various compounds are synthesized - ammonia, fertilizers, explosives, dyes.

OXYGEN (O)

Where does it meet: The most common element on Earth, it accounts for about 47% of the mass of the solid earth's crust. Marine and fresh waters are 89% oxygen, the atmosphere is 23%.

What is useful: Thanks to oxygen, living beings can breathe; without it, fire would not be possible. This gas is widely used in medicine, metallurgy, food industry, energy.

CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2)

Where does it meet: In the atmosphere, in sea water.

What is useful: Thanks to this compound, plants can breathe. The process of absorbing carbon dioxide from the air is called photosynthesis. It is the main source of biological energy. It is worth recalling that the energy that we receive from the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) has been accumulated in the bowels of the earth for millions of years precisely due to photosynthesis.

IRON (Fe)

Where does it meet: one of the most abundant elements in the solar system. It consists of the cores of the terrestrial planets.

What is useful: metal used by man since ancient times. A whole historical era was called the Iron Age. Now up to 95% of the world production of metals falls on iron, it is the main component of steels and cast irons.

SILVER (AG)

Where does it meet: One of the scarce items. Previously met in nature in a native form.

What is useful: Since the middle of the 13th century, it has become a traditional material for making dishes. It has unique properties, therefore it is used in various industries - in jewelry, photography, electrical engineering and electronics. The disinfecting properties of silver are also known.

GOLD (Au)

Where does it meet: previously found in nature in a native form. Produced at the mines.

What is useful: the most important element of the world financial system, because its reserves are small. It has long been used as money. All bank gold reserves are currently valued

at 32 thousand tons - if you fuse them together, you get a cube with a side of only 12 m. It is used in medicine, microelectronics, and nuclear research.

SILICON (Si)

Where does it meet: In terms of prevalence in the earth's crust, this element ranks second (27-30% of the total mass).

What is useful: Silicon is the main material for electronics. It is also used in metallurgy and in the production of glass and cement.

WATER (H2O)

Where does it meet: Our planet is 71% covered with water. The human body is 65% composed of this compound. Water is also in outer space, in the body of comets.

What is useful: It is of key importance in the creation and maintenance of life on Earth, because due to its molecular properties it is a universal solvent. Water has many unique properties that we do not think about. So, if it did not increase in volume when it freezes, life simply would not have arisen: reservoirs would freeze to the bottom every winter. And so, expanding, lighter ice remains on the surface, retaining a viable environment under it.

An element is a substance made up of identical atoms. So, sulfur, helium, iron are elements; they consist only of sulfur, helium, iron atoms, and they cannot be decomposed into simpler substances. Today, 109 elements are known, but only about 90 of them actually occur in nature. Elements are divided into metals and non-metals. The Periodic System classifies elements according to their atomic mass.

A vital element for higher organisms, which is a component of many proteins, accumulates in the hair. History: Latin name - The origin of sulfur is unknown. The Lithuanian name is likely to be taken from the Slavic peoples, may be related to the Sanskrit color syran yellow.

Physical properties: insoluble in water. Yellow, hard, low power, melted. Electronegative 2. 58. This mineral is found in various rocks. It forms in both metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. It is found in quartz compounds in association with other sulfides and oxides. It can also substitute metasomatically for other minerals. Large quantities of this mineral can be used to produce iron.

Metals

More than three-quarters of all elements are metals. Almost all of them are dense, shiny, durable, but easy to forge. In the earth's crust, metals are usually found together with other elements. From durable and malleable metals, people make airplanes, spaceships, various machines. In the periodic table, metals are indicated in blue. They are divided into alkaline, alkaline earth and transitional. Most of the metals well known to us - iron, copper, gold, platinum, silver - are transition metals. Aluminum is used for food packaging, beverage cans, light and strong alloys. This is the most common metal on Earth (for more details, read the article "Metals").

The word pyrite comes from the Greek word for fire. Piritas was used in early firearm locks. Because of its resemblance to gold, it is sometimes referred to as stupid gold. Pyrite is also used in jewelry, but its products are scarce because the hardness of the pit is low and chemically reacts with the environment.

Sphalerite is a sulfide mineral, zinc sulfide. Also called "deceptive zinc". The most common zinc mineral is the most abundant, so most of it comes from that particular mineral. It occurs in association with pyrite, galena, and other sulfide minerals, as well as calcite, dolomite, and fluorite. Most often found in hydrothermal veins.

non-metals

Only 25 elements belong to non-metals, including the so-called semi-metals, which can exhibit both metallic and non-metallic properties. In the periodic table, non-metals are indicated in yellow, semi-metals in orange. All non-metals, with the exception of graphite (a type of carbon), conduct heat and electricity poorly, and semi-metals, such as germanium or silicon, depending on the conditions, can be good conductors, like metals, or not conduct current, like non-metals. Silicon is used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. To do this, microscopic "paths" are created in it, along which the current passes through the circuit. At room temperature 11 non-metals (including hydrogen, nitrogen, chlorine) are gases. Phosphorus, carbon, sulfur and iodine are solid, while bromine is liquid. Liquid hydrogen (formed by compressing gaseous hydrogen) serves as fuel for rockets and other spacecraft.

Sometimes sphalerite crystals are transparent, but jewelry is very rarely used because they are very fragile. Color Yellow, Brown, Grey, Black. Moson 3. 5-4 hardness. The name of the mineral comes from the Latin - lead shine. Galena occurs in crystals, grains, and large aggregates in hydrothermal veins.

In rocks in rocks, dolomites, sandstones in rocks. Galena is the main lead in the ore. Cinnamon is a mercury sulfide mineral. The most common mercury ore. A few mines of this age are still in use. This mineral is in the form of a mineral filler. The crystal lattice is hexagonal.

Elements in the earth's crust

Most of the earth's crust is made up of only eight elements. Elements are rarely found in their pure form, more often they are part of minerals. The mineral calcite is composed of calcium, carbon and oxygen. Calcite is part of limestone. Pyrolusite is composed of the metal manganese and oxygen. Sphalerite is composed of and sulfur. The most abundant element in the earth's crust is oxygen. It is often found in conjunction with another common element, silicon, as well as with the most common metals, aluminum and iron. The figure shows sphalerite, which is composed of zinc and steel.

Crossroads Prisms, large fragments Uneven half-flows. Moson hardness 2-2.5. Gypsum is a hydrated calcium sulfate. Promoted sedimentary mineral. Gypsum mineral floors form mountain deposits of the same name. Stand in enclosed waters in hot climates. It can also be formed from anhydrite by interaction with water.

Gypsum is composed of various brines and has various colors. The colorless form of gypsum is called selenite. The completely anhydrous form of calcium sulfate is called anhydride. Heated gypsum powder with hemihydrated calcium sulfate. Gypsum is a very common mineral. Lithuania is in the northern part. Its large layers are formed from closed reservoirs, gradually evaporating. Such large layers of gypsum were characteristic of the period of permeability.

element atoms

Atoms of elements consist of smaller particles called elementary. An atom consists of a nucleus and electrons revolving around it. The atomic nucleus contains two types of particles: protons and neutrons. Atoms of different elements contain different numbers of protons. The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number of the element (for more details, see the article “Atoms and Molecules“). Generally, there are as many electrons in an atom as there are protons. There are 18 protons in an argon atom; the atomic number of argon is 18. There are also 18 electrons in an atom. There is only one proton in the hydrogen atom, and the atomic number of hydrogen is 1. Electrons revolve around the nucleus in different energy levels, ks are called shells. Two electrons can fit in the first shell, 8 electrons in the second, and 18 in the third, although usually no more than 8 electrons circulate there. The elements are listed in the periodic table according to their atomic numbers. Each rectangle contains the symbol of the element, its name, atomic number and relative atomic mass.

The hardness of gypsum on the Mochon scale. In the construction industry - gypsum, drywall, gypsum concrete, etc. for the production of materials. In medicine - for plaster bandages. In agriculture, soil improvement.

They can fall from hot springs, hydrothermal veins, volcanic plates, or sulfate-rich springs. Another type of gypsum is industrial. When sulfur dioxide is released into the atmosphere, a process is often used that results in large amounts of gypsum.

Periodic table

The horizontal rows of the table are called periods. All elements belonging to the same period have the same number of electron shells. The elements of the 2nd period have two shells, the elements of the 3rd period have three, and so on. The eight vertical rows are called groups, with a separate block of transition metals between the 2nd and 3rd groups. For elements with atomic numbers less than 20 (with the exception of transition metals), the group number coincides with the number of electrons in the outer level. A regular change in the properties of elements of the same period is explained by a change in the number of electrons. So in the 2nd period, the melting point of solid elements gradually increases from lithium to carbon. All elements of the same group have similar chemical properties. Some groups have special names. So, group 1 is made up of alkali metals, group 2 - alkaline earth. Group 7 elements are called halogens, group 8 elements are called noble gases. In the picture you see chalcopyrite, which contains copper, iron and sulfur.