The chemical elements and the basic principles of chemistry are the foundations of all scientific study, and this award-winning book provides a focused, comprehensive, and engaging survey of all 118 elements. A Guide to the Elements begins with an introductory section that explains some of the basic concepts of chemistry and traces the history and development of the periodic table of the elements. Brought to life with historical anecdotes and everyday examples, each element is discussed in a separate article. Readers learn the history of the element's discovery, its properties, and its practical uses. This edition includes five newly discovered elements and three newly named elements, in addition to small updates throughout.