• Question: what is the most dangerous element on the periodic table

    Asked by Miniscott10 to Ajay, Kate, Kuntal, Pip, Reka on 7 Nov 2016. This question was also asked by Globel Geek, fizzster5.
    • Photo: Reka Nagy

      Reka Nagy answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      Pretty sure most elements on the periodic table can be dangerous when used in certain situations! However, there are some that are more dangerous than others.

      For example, radioactive elements such as uranium or plutonium are dangerous because they damage our DNA and can cause radiation sickness, the consequences of which can be as severe as developing cancer, or even dying!

      Other elements, such as potassium or sodium, are not stable when exposed to air, so they can explode and cause you harm this way.

      Chlorine and fluorine are also dangerous as they are highly reactive and corrosive, and breathing too much of them in is a surefire way to end up dead.

    • Photo: Pip Millington

      Pip Millington answered on 7 Nov 2016:

      I’d say there are a few candidates but aside from the elements with 3-digit numbers which only exist for fractions of a second because they are so radioactive, I’d probably go with fluorine.

      Fluorine in its elemental gaseous form F2 causes a problem for chemists to store because it’s reactive with just about everything and ends up destroying whatever container it is kept in. Not only that, but it’s also horribly poisonous and will cause you problems if it does leak out so let’s go with that one.

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