We should divide the contest into categories.

 

the most important element: oxygen

the most beautiful element: silver/copper

the most unique element: mercury

 

Well, my choice would be :

 

The most important element FOR LIVING SPECIES : Carbon

The most beautiful element : Cesium

The most unique element : Mercury

 

You know, I started this tread with the idea of finding a King of the elements. But it's clear that we can't chose ! And in fact, I find it better. Each element has his unique properties !

 

Gold = shining, yellow

Mercury = a liquid metal

Oxygen, carbond and hydrogen are so importent for life

The alkali metals : so reactive with water

Cesium : liquid, color of gold

Fluorine : maybe the most reactive element of the periodic table

...

 

I think, that's why element collecting is so fantastic !!! There are no borring elements ! We cannot chose a favourite but we certainly couldn't chose the most useless and borring element !!

tellurium is also a good way to kill yourself

I can handle B.O. or potential death, but certainly not both at the same time!

....hey! You've all forgotten Caesium!! pale gold, melts in the hand and goes KerBlammo in air!!! what more could you ask for?!!

...ooops, just seen someone has mentioned Caesium!! Good - nice to see it wasn't overlooked!

Now, where can I get some Cs?

melts in your hand?!?!

 

If it was in a sealed ampuol maybe, but otherwise it would probaly explode on contact with flesh.

 

 

But anyway, ceasium is an awesome element none-the-less.

Uranium

Now, where can I get some Cs?

 

EBAY !!! You can find many Ebay-stores that sell Cs. (Emovendo - Smart Elements - etc.)

 

Go see the thread "Sticky: So, you like to collect elements?" for more information on element-stores.

I like most all of the elements equaly (I say Most all because I can like what I don`t Know about, can I?).

 

Carbon would be the logical choice because without it, life as we know/understand it wouldn`t be here to appreciate ANY of them.

 

I must admit that I like Cobalt quite a bit, not for any "Mega" reason, just that I`ve been after some for a while, and Cobalt Chloride was the 1`st chem that really captivated my interest in Chem as a young lad.

Ya gotta love that Cobalt Blue coloring.

The most beautiful element : Mercury

The most unique element : plutonium

The most beautiful element : Mercury

The most unique element : plutonium

 

Why UNIQUE ??

How bout ununseptium since it doesnt exist yet? lol

How bout ununseptium since it doesnt exist yet? lol

 

that would be an entirely Different thread again (available here), search for Fictional elements in our engine

I think an 'unrespected' element is Thallium. Being surrounded by mercury and lead, Thallium doesn't get the respect it deserves as a toxic, heavy metal. Arsenic always seems to get the labels as 'touch it and die' type of stuff, but in reality thallium is actually quite a bit more toxic, I believe. It's a moderately soft metal which rapidly oxidizes away in the air, but oddly enough it can be stored under water without any problems at all. Thallium oxide/hydroxide is quite soluble in water, but the metal itself doesn't react with water. Therefore, a heavily oxidized chunk can be stored in a vial full of water and all the oxidation will just dissolve away leaving you with a clean, oxide free metal surface. (Of course the water it's stored in then becomes a very lethal poison). But I don't think Tl gets all the attention and respect that an element of its nature deserves.

melts in your hand?!?!

 

If it was in a sealed ampuol maybe' date=' but otherwise it would probaly explode on contact with flesh.

 

 

But anyway, ceasium is an awesome element none-the-less.[/quote']

 

yeah, I wouldn't recommend tipping out on my hand!!! I recently saw the effect of about 1g of Cs in a fibreglass bath full of water... there were no pieces of bathtub bigger than about 5 square inches! Bloody brilliant!!!!

cesium would actually burn your flesh off in a few seconds

cesium would actually burn your flesh off in a few seconds

Yeah, wouldn't it? Jeez, nasty but beautiful.... like some women I knew!

Yeah, wouldn't it? Jeez, nasty but beautiful.... like some women I knew!

 

 

lol.

 

 

Do you by chance have the video or a link to the Ceasium plus H2O +fiberglass bathtub explosion?

Do you by chance have the video or a link to the Ceasium plus H2O +fiberglass bathtub explosion?

 

Nope, but go check

 

http://genchem.chem.wisc.edu/lab/PTL/PTL/Elements/Cs/Cs.html

 

Nice video of Cesium in Water

for me - carbon. the element of future, whit it it is possible to make almost everything and it is almost in everything we use(metals,fuels,gas,diamond,acid,plastic,electrical stuff,food,clothes etc).

cesium+h2o really isnt that impressive. potassium and, say, 15M nitric acid would be far more impressive and far cheaper

ive always wanted to try that

if i were to spend so much money on cesium with the intent to oxidize it rapidly, i would try to do it with pentafluoroantimonic acid or something of the sort

I think thorium for me, it contains alot of energy