Here's Why It's Impossible To Own A Sample Of Every Element On The Periodic Table

Publish date: 2024-05-16

Many of the elements on the periodic table are abundant, inexpensive, unregulated, and easy to obtain, even in their purest (or as close to pure as is possible) forms. For example, you may have gold, silver, or even platinum around your fingers. Oxygen and nitrogen can be purchased by the tank. The last time you had a stomachache, you may have swallowed a concoction made primarily of bismuth (the key ingredient in many over-the-counter indigestion remedies). You might be drinking from an aluminum can right now, or have a roll of aluminum foil in your kitchen.

Other elements can be obtained easily enough through chemical supply distributors or other specialty retailers. Some elements, such as mercury, may require special handling or care, but there's nothing legally or practically stopping you from buying them. You might find some of them fun to play with. Gallium, for example, has such a low melting point that it will melt in your hand. But unlike mercury, which can be poisonous, gallium is perfectly safe to handle, according to Lenntech.

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