Elements 1 to 10

The first ten elements in the periodic table are as follows: Hydrogen (H), Helium (He), Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be), Boron (B), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Fluorine (F), Neon (Ne). Let us discuss each of these in detail one by one.

Hydrogen (H)

• Hydrogen is the first element in the periodic table with atomic number 1 and symbol H.
• It is classified as a nonmetal and exists as a gas at room temperature.
• Hydrogen has only one electron in its atom.
• Physical properties of hydrogen include a melting point of -259°C, a boiling point of -253°C, and a density of 0.090 g/L as a gas at 0°C and 1 atm pressure.

Helium (He)

• Helium is a chemical element with the symbol He and atomic number 2.
• It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas.
• Helium has unique properties such as a low boiling point, low density, low solubility, high thermal conductivity, and inertness.
• Physical properties of helium include a melting point of 0.95 K (-272.2°C), a boiling point of 4.222 K (-268.928°C), and a density of 0.1786 g/L at STP.

Lithium (Li)

• Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3.
• It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal that reacts vigorously with water.
• Lithium is commonly used to treat mood disorders such as mania and bipolar disorder.

Beryllium (Be)

• Beryllium is a chemical element with the symbol Be and atomic number 4.
• It is a steel-grey, strong, lightweight, and brittle alkaline earth metal.
• This silvery-white metal is relatively soft and unaffected by air or water, even at high temperatures.

Boron (B)

• Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5.
• It is a metalloid that is not found naturally on Earth.
• Boron plays important role in osteogenesis, where its deficiency can negatively impact bone development and regeneration.

Carbon (C)

• Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6.
• It is a nonmetallic, tetravalent element, meaning its atoms can form four bonds.
• Carbon is solid at room temperature and plays a fundamental role in various forms of life, as well as in industry and technology.

Nitrogen (N)

• Nitrogen is a chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7.
• It is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table.
• Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is the most plentiful element in the universe
• Nitrogen is also involved in numerous biological activities and has significant impacts on ecosystems.

Oxygen (O)

• Oxygen is a chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8.
• It belongs to the chalcogen group in the periodic table and is a highly reactive nonmetal.
• Oxygen is an essential component of the Earth’s atmosphere, constituting about 21%.
• This colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas is crucial for living organisms as animals use it and convert it to carbon dioxide.

Fluorine (F)

• Fluorine is a chemical element with the symbol F and atomic number 9.
• It is the lightest halogen and exists as a highly toxic, pale yellow diatomic gas at standard conditions.
• Fluorine is known for its extreme reactivity, reacting with almost all other elements except for light inert gases like helium and neon.

Neon (Ne)

• Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10.
• It is the second-lightest noble gas after helium. Like other noble gases, neon is colorless and odorless.
• It glows reddish-orange in a vacuum discharge tube.

Elements are the purest form of matter which has only one type of atoms. There are total 118 elements found till date. These elements are arranged in a tabular form in increasing order of atomic number such that elements with common properties are arranged together. This tabular arrangement of elements is called Periodic Table of Elements. In this article, we will learn first twenty elements with atomic number 1 to 20 along with their properties.