Speeding up chemical reactions is key to improving industrial processes or mitigating unwanted or harmful waste. Realizing these improvements requires that chemists design around documented reaction ...

This video explores the fascinating reasons behind the physical properties of elements. It answers questions about why mercury is a liquid at room temperature, why gold has its distinctive yellow ...

An element's location on the table can be used to determine its electron configuration. By following the order of periods (rows) and blocks (s, p, d, f), you can trace how electrons fill the atom's ...

Valence electrons -- those residing in an atom's outermost shell and engaging in bonding with other atoms -- proved to be a pivotal factor. By using metals with a higher valence electron count, the ...

It’s a helpful rule of thumb: Main group elements prefer forming bonds that give them eight valence electrons; transition metals go for 18 electrons. Now scientists have shown that main group elements ...

Researchers have discovered a way to make ceramics tougher and more resistant to cracking. By building these materials using a blend of metal atoms possessing more electrons in their outer shell, a ...