Question 1

Which elements does it contain?  I assume all that don't show a radioactive symbol? How does the Fluorine not react with the acrylic, or even glass?

Accepted Answer

Our periodic table has 83 elements in it. If the element is represented by a radioactive sign in the artwork, then it is not included.  Most elements past Uranium are either illegal to posses, extremely unstable, or a combination of those things.

Fluorine is an extremely reactive and dangerous gas. We represent this element using Fluorite, a mineral with the chemical formula CaF2. Below is a list of the elements that are included in our periodic table:

Hydrogen
Helium
Lithium
Beryllium
Boron
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Fluorine
Neon
Sodium
Magnesium
Aluminum
Silicon
Phosphorus
Sulfur
Chlorine
Argon
Potassium
Calcium
Scandium
Titanium
Vanadium
Chromium
Manganese
Iron
Cobalt
Nickel
Copper
Zinc
Gallium
Germanium
Arsenic
Selenium
Bromine
Krypton
Rubidium
Strontium
Yttrium
Zirconium
Niobium
Molybdenum
Ruthenium
Rhodium
Palladium
Silver
Cadmium
Indium
Tin
Antimony
Tellurium
Iodine
Xenon
Cesium
Barium
Lanthanum
Cerium
Praseodymium
Neodymium
Samarium
Europium
Gadolinium
Terbium
Dysprosium
Holmium
Erbium
Thulium
Ytterbium
Lutetium
Hafnium
Tantalum
Tungsten
Rhenium
Osmium
Iridium
Platinum
Gold
Mercury
Thallium
Lead
Bismuth
Thorium
Uranium

Question 2

Which elements are elemental substances? Which elements are compounds? What are the chemical formulae of the compounds?

Accepted Answer

Hi,

The following elements are represented by impure samples due to their reactivity or shipping regulations:

Mercury - Ore (Cinnabar - Mercury Sulfide) HgS
Fluorine - Fluorite CaF₂
Chlorine - Chlorine Compound (Potassium hexachloroplatinate) We chose this due to the 6 chlorine atoms - K2PtCl6
Bromine - Bromide Compound (Iron bromide)‎ ‎FeBr3

Cesium - Ore (Pollucite)
Rubidium - Ore (Lepidolite)
Potassium - Superoxide with trace pieces of potassium metal
Sodium - Superoxide with trace pieces of sodium metal
Lithium - Oxide with trace metal
Barium - Oxide with trace pieces of barium metal
Europium - Europium oxide
Uranium - Ore (Autunite)

All other samples are in their pure form. We also have a new edition of the periodic table called the "Collector's Edition". This new edition has small glass ampules in it that allow us to use pure alkali metals,  europium, and halogens. This edition only has four elements that are impure. It's available on our website for purchase (Engineered Labs).

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Best regards,
Tim Marriott

Question 3

I'm worried about the toxicity of these elements and radioactivity if I drop this will it break or are there procedures I can follow?

Accepted Answer

We get asked about the radioactivity and overall safety of the periodic table from time to time. These are legitimate concerns and we wanted to address those concerns here. Although several elements in the periodic table are dangerous or toxic, the acrylic and glass ampules make the collection safe to handle and store.

The radiation from the uranium and thorium samples is extremely low. Autunite (uranium ore sample) has a radioactivity level of 0.01 mRem for a 2mm piece held in your hand for an hour. The average American is exposed to 0.034 mrem/hr from background radiation (300 mrem/year). In other words, a person will get three times the radiation from natural background radiation which includes the sun, food, radon, and the environment, than they will from holding the periodic table all day. That is based on the assumption that the user will be right next to the display for 24 hours a day, every day. So even in the worst case scenario, elements 90 and 92 are safe. Below is a link describing the natural background radiation level if you are interested:

https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/radiation/around-us/doses-daily-lives.html

To address your concerns about the toxicity, yes, there are elements in the periodic tables which are harmful for human consumption, just like many off-the-shelf products that contain chemicals. If you drop the periodic table, it will likely chip or break much like glass would. However, the pieces can be safely disposed of without posing any risk to health. The main issue here is "human consumption". So, if the acrylic were broken (this would take some effort), the best solution would be to wear gloves and a dust mask and collect all of the pieces in a trash bag for disposal. I hope this helps address these safety concerns.

Question 4

Can I take this on a flight?

Accepted Answer

We do not recommend it because of the possibility of it being confiscated. That said, we have heard from two customers that they were able to fly with it without issues.

Product Dimensions	15.24 x 15.24 x 0.51 cm; 690 g
Item Weight	0.69 Kilograms
Finish types	Shiny
Is assembly required	Yes
Number of pieces	1
Batteries required	No
Import designation	Made in USA

Engineered Labs Heritage Periodic Table of Elements, Made In USA, Acrylic Periodic Table With Real Samples

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