Oxygen and the group 6 elements

This series uses a common or well-known element to look at the groups of the periodic table and to show the similarities and differences between elements.

It uses full-colour illustration of the periodic table and shows the chemical symbol for each element in place, alongside its neighbours.

Chemical formulae for common compounds are also shown.

Information boxes and tables contain listings of facts and figures.

Chemical reactions are interpreted as word equations, and timelines chart the history and discovery of the elementsThis title illustrates how oxygen is essential for the survival of most living things.

How oxygen forms at least one compound with almost every other element is explored, making it the most common element in the Earth's crust.

The properties of the gas are also compared with the other elements in the group, such as the solid sulphur, which is used in the manufacture of sulphuric acid - the most widely produced chemical in the whole world.