HomeElement listsEra of discoveryEnlightenment (until 1799)

Era of discovery: Enlightenment (until 1799)

The discovery of phosphorus by Hennig Brand (1669) marked the beginning of the age of discovery of most elements, including uranium from pitchblende by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789.

Hydrogencolorless gas (H₂)

4Be

Berylliumwhite-gray metallic

Nitrogencolorless gas, liquid or solid

Oxygencolorless (gas); pale blue (liquid and solid)

15P

Phosphoruswhite, red and violet are waxy, black is metallic-looking

17Cl

Chlorinepale yellow-green gas

22Ti

Titaniumsilvery grey-white metallic

24Cr

Chromiumsilvery metallic

25Mn

Manganesesilvery metallic

27Co

Cobalthard lustrous bluish gray metal

28Ni

Nickelglänzend, metallisch, silbrig

33As

Arsenicmetallic grey

38Sr

Strontiumsilvery white metallic; with a pale yellow tint

39Y

Yttriumsilvery white

40Zr

Zirconiumsilvery white

42Mo

Molybdenumgray metallic

52Te

Telluriumsilvery lustrous gray (crystalline); brown-black powder (amorphous)

74W

Tungstengrayish white, lustrous

78Pt

Platinumsilvery white

83Bi

Bismuthlustrous brownish silver

92U

Uraniumsilvery gray metallic; corrodes to a spalling black oxide coat in air

H He Li Be B C N O F Ne Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Nh Fl Mc Lv Ts Og

Legend

Enlightenment (until 1799)Element classification (1850–1899)Technical and industrial revolution (1800–1849)Antiquity to Middle Ages Early quantum theories (1900–1949)Synthesis and nuclear sciences (1950–1999)Recent synthesis (since 2000)