Arsenic
The 33rd element is Arsenic. This element I associate with all sorts of sinister things - murders, poisonings, mystery and intrigue. In Agatha Christie novels it was one of the main causes of death in her victims.
Toxic chemicals are labelled by scientists with the scull and crossbones
to warn users to be especially careful with them, though it is recommended that chemists treat all chemicals as if they might be toxic to prevent any unwelcome surprises.In terms of its properties or traits, Arsenic is a metalloid or semi metal, sitting in the periodic table between the metals and the non-metals. Arsenic occurs in a range of minerals as well as in its elemental form. In its elemental form it is usually a gray crystalline solid but like carbon and phosphorus, it has other allotropes. When heated it goes straight from a solid to a gas - we call this subliming.
Arsenic forms compounds with many other elements - oxygen, sulphur, etc
In the past arsenic compounds have been used as insesticides, weedkillers and wood preservatives. Thanks to the Elements exhibition in the Science Gallery I also learned that Arsenic compounds were also used by interior designers to give a green colour to wall papers.
A modern day use for Arsenic is in the computer industry where it is used for its semiconductor abilities.
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