Element

Curiye is a Somali term used primarily to mean "chemical element": a pure substance that cannot be chemically broken down into simpler components, whose atoms contain the same number of protons. This number of protons is called the atomic number, and it distinguishes one element from another.

The word itself, when compared with other languages, has several different meanings: a basic component of something (for example, an element of a system), a symbol or term belonging to a set, and also the names of companies, institutions, and individuals. For this reason, reference works typically use the heading "Element" to mark the disambiguation page.

Chemical element

A chemical element is distinguished from others by the number of protons in its atomic nucleus. Atoms of the same element that differ in their number of neutrons are called isotopes. Elements are written using a symbol of one or two letters, for example H (hydrogen), O (oxygen), Fe (iron). The combination of two or more elements produces a compound.

The periodic table

Elements are arranged in the periodic table, organized by atomic number and by the behavior of their electrons. Vertical columns (groups) bring together elements that behave in similar ways. This arrangement was developed in the nineteenth century and is based on the observation that the properties of elements recur periodically as atomic mass or atomic number increases.

Origin of elements

Some elements occur naturally in the earth, while others are created in laboratories such as nuclear reactors and particle accelerators. The heaviest artificially produced elements decay rapidly (are radioactive), which makes measuring their properties difficult.