• Question: What is your favourite element on the periodic table?

    Asked by mellon to Alexander, Josh, Serena, Simone, Stuart on 17 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Simone Sturniolo

      Simone Sturniolo answered on 17 Jun 2013:


      Oxygen. I’d literally die if I was separated from it.

    • Photo: Alexander Munnoch

      Alexander Munnoch answered on 17 Jun 2013:


      Aluminium is my favourite hands down
      – I work with mostly oxides of it.
      – I’ve worked with the refinement waste byproducts during my time in India (Red Mud).
      – It is the most abundant metal on the Earths crust and helps make up alot of clays, ceramics and rocks.
      – It is the main metal found in rubies and sapphires (favourite colour is blue).
      – Reacts strongly to mercury (awesome videos on youtube!)
      – It’s relative non-toxicity makes it easy and safe to handle.

    • Photo: Stuart Archer

      Stuart Archer answered on 18 Jun 2013:


      Nice answer Simone 😉

      For me it’s the humble carbon atom – it’s by far the most versatile element on the entire periodic table (in my opinion at least!). Your body is about 18% carbon, as it forms the backbone of all the organic molecules in your body (protein, sugar, fat, you name it!) Carbon based molecules can be found somewhere in most areas of science or technology. I really enjoy making new organic molecules out of all the different building blocks and working out how they all need to fit together, it’s a great puzzle!

    • Photo: Josh Makepeace

      Josh Makepeace answered on 18 Jun 2013:


      I know I’m biased, but hydrogen has to be my overall favourite! It’s so simple, and thanks to the reaction that go on in stars, hydrogen provides all the energy that’s allowed life to appear on earth. I have to be pretty thankful to hydrogen for that!!

      Special mention also goes to sodium, because it makes for great explosions in water (done safely, of course 😛 ).

    • Photo: Serena Corr

      Serena Corr answered on 24 Jun 2013:


      Love that answer, Simone!

      I really like the first row of the transition metals. Transition metals are really interesting to work with – their properties are really related to their electronic structure. They display a wide range of oxidation states, which means there is huge scope for some really interesting chemistry! The elements I work with mostly right now are iron and vanadium. But I don’t know if I could choose a favorite!!

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