Arsenic Facts for Kids

Arsenic - Periodic Table of Elements
  • Name: Arsenic
  • Symbol: As
  • Atomic Number: 33
  • Atomic Weight: 74.9216 u
  • Period: 4
  • Group: 15

26 Arsenic Facts for Kids

  1. Arsenic is a chemical element on the periodic table.
  2. The symbol for arsenic is As.
  3. The atomic number for arsenic is 33.
  4. The standard atomic weight of arsenic is 74.9216 u.
  5. Arsenic is a solid at room temperature.
  6. Arsenic is in the metalloid element category on the periodic table.
  7. Arsenic is a period 4 chemical element, which is the fourth row on the periodic table.
  8. Arsenic is a group 15 chemical element, which is the nitrogen group.
  9. Arsenic is in the p-block on the periodic table of elements.
  10. The electron configuration for arsenic is [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p3.
  11. The electrons per shell for arsenic are 2, 8, 18, 5.
  12. Arsenic has only one stable isotope.
  13. The one stable isotope for Arsenic is 75As.
  14. The melting point for arsenic is 1,503 °F (817 °C).
  15. The boiling point for arsenic is 1,137 °F (614 °C).
  16. Arsenic was discovered by Arabic alchemists prior to 815 AD.
  17. The first person to verifiably isolate arsenic was Albertus Magnus in 1250.
  18. Arsenic is the 53rd most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
  19. According to the USGS, the world’s top producer of arsenic is China, followed by Morocco.
  20. According to the U.S. EPA, all forms of arsenic are toxic and deadly to humans.
  21. Prior to 1836, arsenic was used to poison humans via food and liquids.
  22. In 1836, the Marsh test was developed by British chemist James Marsh and it could detect arsenic in human remains, food and liquids. This test help dramatically decrease the amount of arsenic poisoning homicide cases.
  23. Prior to the 1940s, an arsenic-based drug was used to treat syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection. Once penicillin was discovered in the 1940s the use of this arsenic-base drug waned and eventually wasn’t used any longer.
  24. Some pyrotechnics use arsenic to give more blueish color to their flames.
  25. When arsenic is heated, or an arsenic-containing mineral is hit hard it can release an odor that smells like garlic.
  26. Arsenic has been used by militaries during World War 1 (lewisite) and the Vietnam War (Agent Blue).

Additional Resources on the Chemical Element Arsenic

  • Arsenic – Learn more about the chemical element arsenic on the U.S. National Library of Medicine website.
  • Arsenic (As) – Discover more facts about arsenic on the Royal Society of Chemistry website.
  • Arsenic – Wikipedia – Find more arsenic facts on the Wikipedia website.

About the author
Facts Editor

This is an author profile for articles that are created from a collaborative effort. It is not uncommon that articles on this site were either written, researched or fact checked by several authors and team members. So this author profile will be displayed to reflect that. Our team of editors, writers and fact checkers do extensive research before publishing articles on the site, and we do our best to provide the most accurate information possible.