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27. Natural Reality / F. Chemistry / 2. Modern Elements

[92 natural elements, and some further ones]

9 ideas
Elements don't survive in compounds, but the 'substance' of the element does [Mendeleev]
Is one atom a piece of gold, or is a sizable group of atoms required? [Inwagen]
The real natural properties are sparse, but there are many complex properties [Heil]
Elements survive chemical change, and are tracked to explain direction and properties [Hendry]
Defining elements by atomic number allowed atoms of an element to have different masses [Hendry]
19th C views said elements survived abstractly in compounds, but also as 'material ingredients' [Scerri]
It is now thought that all the elements have literally evolved from hydrogen [Scerri]
An 'element' is what cannot be decomposed by chemistry [Martin,BR]
Isotopes (such as those of hydrogen) can vary in their rates of chemical reaction [Weisberg/Needham/Hendry]