Properties and Uses of Some Group of Elements in the Periodic Table

Some Elements that is Important to the Human Body

Group IA: Alkali Metals

Sodium has many uses, it combines with chlorine to form sodium chloride, NaCl, or salt, which is an essential component in preserving foods.

Salt is mixed with crushed ice to maintain the cold temperature for “dirty ice cream” or “sorbetes.”

Salt is also combined with 0.01% potassium iodide, KI, to manufacture iodized salt which is a common treatment for people suffering from iodine deficiency or commonly known as goiter.

Sodium is used in the manufacture of sodium vapor lamps or commonly known as street lamps.

Group IIA: Alkaline Earth Metals

Is usually combined with other metals to produce alloys or a combination of two or more metals.

Alloys such as magnesium alloy are used in the manufacture of parts of airplanes and cars.

magnesium plays a vital role in the formation of chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants that captures the energy from the sun to facilitate photosynthesis.

Compounds of barium, strontium and calcium are used extensively in fireworks because when heated, it turns the flame into different colors such as pale green, crimson red and brick red.

Oxide of calcium is used in tiles and as a lining in high temperature furnace because of its capability to withstand high temperature.

Calcium oxide, CaO, is used to counteract highly acidic soils so that it can be used for gardening.

Calcium in its cationic form, Ca2+, is essential to bone health of humans and other animals.

Transition Metals

The elements in the coinage family are used in the production of coins.

Nickel, Ni, is responsible for the hardening of vegetable oil in the manufacture of margarine.

Titanium, Ti, in the form of titanium chloride, TiCl3, is used as catalyst in the manufacture of plastics.

Steel alloy (a combination of metals such as iron, manganese, chromium, vanadium and tungsten) are commonly used as stainless material.

Copper ion, Cu2+, in the blood interact with pain relievers such aspirin to relieve pain and fever.

Cobalt, Co, is part of vitamin B12 which cures Pernicious anemia because this vitamin has the ability to increase the number of hemoglobin molecules in the blood.

General Properties of Transition Metals

High tensile strength, density, ductility, malleability, electrical and thermal conductivity, and melting points and boiling points.

Group IVA: Carbon Family

Carbon exists in two allotropes, namely, diamond and graphite.

Diamond is the hardest material known on earth which is used as abrasive, and in drilling and cutting out other hard materials.

The most common use of diamond is as jewelry. Graphite can conduct electricity that is why it is

used as electrodes in batteries or dry cells.

Silicon, the second most abundant element on earth, and germanium are widely used as semiconductors in electronic devices such as computer chips.

Silicon is now being utilized in cosmetic medicine as body part enhancer.

Tin are used in the manufacture of tin cans which are used in the packaging of canned foods.

Lead is commonly used as the marking material in pencils.

Group VIIA: Halogens

Fluorine, in the form of fluoride, F-, is utilized extensively in the toothpaste industry. It is used to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis.

Fluorine is utilized to make polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon, which is used as a cooking utensil.

Chlorine is commonly used as a disinfectant for swimming pools.

Chlorine is also used in industry as a bleaching agent for paper and textiles.

Chlorine is also an ingredient in pesticides and insecticides.

Chlorine is also a component of polyvinyl chloride or PVC which is used for pipes and ducts.

Iodine in alcoholic solution or commonly known as tincture of iodine is widely used as antiseptic for wounds.

Iodine is also being utilized in the production of photographic films such as silver iodide, AgI.

Halides such as bromide, iodide, fluoride and chloride are also used in cloud seeding to catalyze the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere.

Some Elements that are Important to the Human Body

Trace elements such as cobalt, copper, iodine, iron and zinc actually comprises about 0.1 percent of the mass of a human body.

The trace elements are actually necessary for biological functions like defense against sickness, transport of oxygen for metabolism and growth.

Cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and nickel are also present in the human body. These metals aid in the catalytic activity of a variety of enzymes in the human body.

Cytochrome oxidase, which is responsible for the burning of foods, contains copper.

Insulin, which is responsible for the regulation of blood sugar, contains the metal chromium.

Iron is essential to hemoglobin which carries the oxygen and dissolved foods to all parts of our body.