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The classical elements typically refer to earth, water, air, fire, and (later) aether which were proposed to explain the nature and complexity of all matter in terms of simpler substances. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Ancient cultures in Greece , Angola , Tibet , India , and Mali had similar lists which sometimes referred, in local languages, to "air" as "wind ...
Atoms are the smallest neutral particles into which matter can be divided by chemical reactions. An atom consists of a small, heavy nucleus surrounded by a relatively large, light cloud of electrons. An atomic nucleus consists of 1 or more protons and 0 or more neutrons. Protons and neutrons are, in turn, made of quarks.
Earth is one of the four classical elements in ancient Greek philosophy and science. It was commonly associated with qualities of heaviness, matter and the terrestrial world. Due to the hero cults, and chthonic underworld deities, the element of earth is also associated with the sensual aspects of both life and death in later occultism.
The rest of the Earth's crust is also made of oxygen compounds, in particular various complex silicates (in silicate minerals). The Earth's mantle, of much larger mass than the crust, is largely composed of silicates of magnesium and iron. Water-soluble silicates in the form of Na 4 SiO 4, Na 2 SiO 3, and Na 2 Si 2 O 5 are used as detergents ...
These elements originally referred to earth, water, air and fire rather than the chemical elements of modern science. The term 'elements' ( stoicheia ) was first used by Greek philosopher Plato around 360 BCE in his dialogue Timaeus , which includes a discussion of the composition of inorganic and organic bodies and is a speculative treatise on ...
Sodium is the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and exists in numerous minerals such as feldspars, sodalite, and halite (NaCl). Many salts of sodium are highly water-soluble: sodium ions have been leached by the action of water from the Earth's minerals over eons, and thus sodium and chlorine are the most common dissolved ...
Arsenic is the 53rd most abundant element in the Earth's crust, comprising about 1.5 parts per million (0.00015%). [48] Typical background concentrations of arsenic do not exceed 3 ng/m 3 in the atmosphere; 100 mg/kg in soil; 400 μg/kg in vegetation; 10 μg/L in freshwater and 1.5 μg/L in seawater. [ 49 ]
Sulfur can be found in elemental form or in the form of sulfide minerals, sulfate minerals, or sulfosalt minerals. [55] Stars of at least 12 times the mass of the Sun produce sulfur in their cores via nuclear fusion. [13] Sulfur is the tenth most abundant element in the universe, making up 500 parts per million of the universe by weight. [56] [57]