Carbon is amazing. In the form of a diamond, carbon is one of the hardest materials we know. In the form of pencil lead, it's easily broken with our fingers. Carbon is the most common element on Earth. Think of it as a building block of life; it's found in all living creatures, and it's so old, people have known of its existence since prehistoric times. Yet scientists today continue to discover new forms of carbon. This book will help students better...

Hydrogen is the most widespread element and one of the building blocks of life. First appearing when the Big Bang created the universe, hydrogen is now part of human technologies that could change the future. People have used liquid hydrogen to send astronauts into space and hydrogen gas to drive families to the store. In this informative book, we'll explore the first element in the periodic table, looking at its properties and finding its hiding...

From the table to the lab to our bodies, this interesting and informative book introduces young readers to the element sodium. Easy-to-understand explanations, colorful illustrations, and examples children can relate to make this a fun way to learn about one of Earth's most abundant elements. Historical information gives the subject context, while discussions of the common uses of sodium, such as in soap making and food preservation, keep it relevant....

When you think of nickel, a 5-cent coin probably comes to mind, but nickel is used for so much more than manufacturing coins. Nickel and nickel-containing alloys are very important in our society. Nickel is used in the construction, transportation, power, high-tech and many other industries. This book tells the fascinating story of how nickel was discovered, how ore containing nickel is mined and extracted, the properties that make nickel so useful,...

Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals in the Earth's crust. It is used for everything from soda cans to cars, planes, rockets, and in construction. In the 1800s, scientists learned how to extract aluminum from rocks so it could be put to practical use. This book tells the fascinating story of aluminum's history, explains the properties of the element and its components, and provides students with resources to learn more about aluminum and how...