Readers will be introduced to the periodic table and its function of organizing the elements by their similarities. They will discover the concrete importance of elements in their own daily lives and leave with a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Includes glossary and index.

Elements -- The history of the periodic table -- Numbers and symbols -- Groups and periods -- Metals -- Nonmetals -- Semiconductors -- How to use the periodic table -- Different kinds of periodic tables -- The periodic table of tomorrow.