Because it is a noble gas, radon is not chemically reactive. Radon is an invisible, odorless noble gas that is slowly released from the ground, particularly from rocks and soils whose uranium content is high. For example, the elements of Group 1 are known as the alkali metals, Group 2 are the alkaline earth metals, Group 17 are the halogens, and Group 18 are the noble gases. Chemists often make general statements about the properties of the elements in a group using descriptive names with historical origins. However, even these small quantities are required for the body to function properly.Īs previously noted, the periodic table is arranged so that elements with similar chemical behaviors are in the same group. These last three metals are not listed explicitly in Table 2.1.2, so they are present in the body in very small quantities. Cobalt is a necessary component of vitamin B-12, a vital nutrient. Manganese is needed for the body to metabolize oxygen properly. Copper is also needed for several proteins to function properly in the body. Zinc is needed for the body’s immune system to function properly, as well as for protein synthesis and tissue and cell growth. Other transition metals have important functions in the body, despite being present in low amounts. It is the presence of this particular transition metal in your red blood cells that allows you to use the oxygen you inhale. Each hemoglobin molecule has four iron atoms, which act as binding sites for oxygen. The crucial atom in the hemoglobin protein is iron. Hemoglobin is a relatively large molecule, with a mass of about 65,000 u. Hemoglobin combines with oxygen and carbon dioxide, transporting these gases from one location to another in the body. Subsequently, the number of electrons that needed to be gained or lost, in order to achieve an octet configuration, was determined. The critical part of the red blood cell is a protein called hemoglobin. First, the number of valence electrons possessed by the initial neutral atom was established. Without red blood cells, animal respiration as we know it would not exist.

Red blood cells are cells that transport oxygen from the lungs to cells of the body and then transport carbon dioxide from the cells to the lungs. The chemistry of iron makes it a key component in the proper functioning of red blood cells. Transition metals have interesting chemical properties, partially because some of their electrons are in d subshells. Because iron has relatively massive atoms, it would appear even lower on a list organized in terms of percent by atoms rather than percent by mass. The first element appearing on the list that is not a main group element is iron, at 0.006 percentage by mass. Most of the elemental composition of the human body consists of main group elements. To Your Health: Transition Metals in the Body

Each group is located in a different part of the periodic table. Elements are either metals, nonmetals, or semimetals.

Periodic table valence electron