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Search the table by property, category, state or year, e.g. mp>1000, noble gas. Search guide

Search guide

Type into the table’s search and every element that doesn’t match fades away. Search by name, number, any property, category, state or date, and mix them freely.

Opening and closing search

On the table, press / or Ctrl K, or click the search button in the header. The search box opens in the space above the transition metals, where the tab’s legend usually sits. On small screens it opens below the table. Press Esc once to clear it and again to close it.

On any other page, the same keys open a quick element finder. Its last row, “Search the periodic table for …”, takes your query to the table.

Combining terms with and / or

TypeMeaning
spaceand: an element must match every term
and &also and, if you prefer to write it
, ; | oror: an element may match any group
not - !not: leave out what the next term matches

Spaces around signs don’t matter: mp > 1000 and mp>1000 are the same, as are 3 - 10, 3-10 and 3 to 10. Capitals and accents are ignored.

Names and symbols

QueryMatches
FeAn exact symbol matches only that element (iron, not fermium). Capitals don’t matter.
Fe CuSeveral names or symbols in a row list all of them: Fe Cu, gold silver platinum.
ironA full name.
platThe start of a name: platinum.
genThree or more letters anywhere in a name: hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen…
greekA word that isn’t part of any element name is looked up in name origins, places of discovery and discoverers.

Atomic number

QueryMatches
26A plain whole number is always an atomic number.
55.845A plain decimal is an atomic mass (on Trends and Heatmap, the property shown).
<10Comparisons: <, <=, >, >=, =.
3-10A range, both ends included. “3 to 10” and “10-3” work too.
z>100Atomic number named outright (n, z, number, atomic, no).

On the Trends and Heatmap tabs, a bare comparison or range such as >3 or 2-3 uses the property shown on the table instead. A plain number still means atomic number.

Property values

Write a property name, then a comparison, a range, or a single value. Decimals work everywhere.

QueryMatches
mp>2000Melting point above 2,000, in the temperature unit you picked on the table (°C, °F or K).
density<1Lighter than water.
en 2-3Electronegativity from 2 to 3.
amu 10A single value reads the way people mean it: amu 10 and amu 11 both find boron (10.81).
mass 55.8Decimals narrow it down: 55.8, 55.85 and 55.845 all find iron.
amu10The space is optional: amu10, group1, mp1500.
mass between 10 and 20Another way to write a range (same as mass 10-20).
mp>1000cUnits after a number: c, f, k (or °C, kelvin…) for temperatures; u, amu, pm, g/cm3, eV are understood too.
10 amuA unit on its own names the property: 10 amu is a mass, 200pm a radius, 7.9 g/cm3 a density.
mass ≥ 200≤ ≥ ≈ and : work as well as <= >= =.

Property names you can type

PropertyNamesUnit
Atomic numbern, z, number, atomic, no—
Atomic massmass, weight, mw, amuu
Melting pointmp, melt, melting, fpyour °C / °F / K
Boiling pointbp, boil, boilingyour °C / °F / K
Densitydensity, d, rhog/cm³
Electronegativityen, electronegativity, enegPauling
Atomic radiusradius, r, sizepm
Covalent radiuscovalent, rcpm
Van der Waals radiusvdw, rvpm
1st ionisation energyion, ie, ie1, ionisationas on Trends
2nd ionisation energyie2kJ/mol
Electron affinityaff, ea, affinityas on Trends
Molar heat capacityheat, cpJ/(mol·K)
Specific heatspec, specificJ/(g·K)
Stable isotopesstable, isotopes (with a number)count
Outer-shell electronsouter, valencecount
Highest oxidation stateox, oxidation—
Groupgroup, g—
Periodperiod, p, row—
Discovery yearyear, discovered, yr—
  • A single value covers half a step below to one step above what you type, so both the rounded and the cut-short reading match: mass 10 covers 9.5 to 11, mass 55.8 covers 55.75 to 55.9.
  • Whole-number properties (atomic number, group, period, year, counts) match exactly: group 1 is group 1 only.
  • Elements with no value for a property never match a comparison on it.
  • group 1 and period 4 need no =.
  • On their own, p, n, no and s are element symbols. They only name a property when a number follows.

Categories

QueryMatches
alkaliAlkali metals
alkaline earthAlkaline earth metals
transitionTransition metals
post-transitionPost-transition metals
lanthanideLanthanides (also lanthanoid, rare earth)
actinideActinides (also actinoid)
metalloidMetalloids
nonmetalReactive nonmetals
halogenHalogens
noble gasNoble gases (also just noble)
metalAll six metal categories
all nonmetalsReactive nonmetals, halogens and noble gases

Singular and plural both work: halogen, halogens.

Blocks, groups and periods

QueryMatches
d-blockAn orbital block: s, p, d or f. “d block” and “block d” work too.
group 17A column. Ranges and comparisons work: group 3-12.
period 4A row (also: row 4). period>5 for the bottom rows.

State of matter

These use the temperature slider, so results change as you drag it.

QueryMatches
solidSolid at the chosen temperature.
liquidLiquid: bromine and mercury at room temperature.
gasGas (also gases, gaseous).

Stability and origin

QueryMatches
radioactiveNo stable isotopes (also unstable).
stableAt least one stable isotope.
syntheticMade only in labs: atomic number above 94 (also man-made).
naturalAtomic number 94 or below (also naturally occurring).

Discovery history

QueryMatches
ancientKnown since antiquity (also prehistoric, antiquity).
1800sA whole century: 1800–1899.
1770sA decade: 1770–1779.
before 1750Discovered before 1750, ancient elements included.
after 1900Discovered after 1900 (also since 1900).
year 1898An exact year; year>1950 for a comparison.
by curieThe discoverer’s name contains the next word.

Reading the results

  • The summary line counts the matches and shows how your query was read, for example “5 elements · d-block and Melting point > 2,500 °C”.
  • Struck-through terms match nothing on their own, so you can see which word to change.
  • Match chips list every element found. Point at one to preview it; click it to open its details. On the Compounds tab, a click adds the element to your compound search.
  • On the table matches get a ring and everything else fades.
  • With the box empty, example chips show a few things to try.

Keyboard

KeyAction
/ or Ctrl KOpen search (⌘K on a Mac)
↓ ↑Step through the matches; the current one gets a heavier ring
EnterOpen the current match’s details (the first match if none is picked)
Ctrl EnterOpen the current match’s full page (⌘ Enter on a Mac)
EscClear the box; press again to close search

Sharing a search

The search is saved in the page address along with the tab and layout, so you can bookmark it or send it to someone:

Examples to try

metal mp>3000Metals that melt above 3,000 °Cdensity<1Elements lighter than waterliquidLiquids at room temperatureen>3The most electronegative elementshalogen, noble gasHalogens and noble gases togetherby curieWhat the Curies discoveredbefore 1700Elements known before 1700year 1840-1900Discoveries from 1840 to 1900d-block radioactive mass>200Heavy, radioactive d-block elementsperiod 4 transitionPeriod 4 transition metals1-20The first twenty elementstransition -radioactiveTransition metals with stable isotopesmp>1000c bp<3000cMelts above 1,000 °C, boils below 3,000 °CgreekNames with Greek roots