Includes bibliographical references (p. 236) and index.

"Organized in order of appearance in the periodic table, the book showcases each element (wherever possible) with a big, beautiful photograph of the pure element...Along with the story of each element is essential scientific data including atomic weight, atomic radius, a crystal structure diagram, and graphs representing electron filling order, the atomic emission spectrum, and the temperatures at which the element is a solid, liquid, or gas. An explanation of these properties, along with a complete tour of the structure of the periodic table, is included in the introduction." -- From the publisher.