how are the elements identified?

Answer 1

As per the Periodic Table of elements the difference between each element is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus; the atomic number.

Larger nucleuses require neutrons to stabilize them, but the number of them can vary and in radioactive elements that number of neutrons is decaying because they are being broadcast away from the atom. The radioactive product decays and with out enough neutrons the atom falls apart into lighter elements.

Isotopes have extra neutrons and Ions have extra electrons, but both have the same number of protons. The old alchemist dream of changing lead into gold is possible IF you can change the number of protons in this case by removing 3 of them.

This is who you determine what element is what. To identify various elements requires a wide range of techniques from radiation detectors, to litmus paper, to simple optical examination. Each element has different properties like melting, boiling and freezing points. One thing they share is the kinds of elements they are willing to bond with and the period table is used to determine that; since all atoms want to reach eight electrons in their outer shell.

Answer 2

Elements are basicly identified using the number of electrons. They have a series. When Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleyev did his periodic table, he left empty spaces for elements that were not yet found out. It gradually came about that they identified many elements that occured naturally. Now they go on to create elements that last just a very small fraction of time. These elements are identified using spectroscope. It shows small variations in the colour (Different colour lines are seen). This is how newer elements are identified. Older ones too were done the same way, but they could verify but getting the number of electrons making it undergo a chemical reaction. The presence of Hydrogen and Helium is found by the spectrograph of sun light!

Answer 3

what do you mean. in large quantities usually by color, whether its a solid, gas, or liquid, texture, reaction with other compounds, odor. but its on the atomic scale its by the number of protons.