Iodine
What is Iodine?

Iodine - the purple gas
Description: Iodine - the purple gas
Image copyright: http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/content/filerepository/RES/00/000/715/RES00000715-L.JPG
Bernard Courtios discovered the element iodine in 1811. Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac named it after the Greek work \"iodes\" which means violet - the color of Iodine.

The symbol for Iodine is I. Iodine has 53 protons and therefore the atomic number of 53. Its\' atomic mass is 127 - the number of neutrons. Iodine is a halogen, non-metal. It can be a gas, liquid or a solid. Standard atomic weight of iodine is 126.90447. It melts at ​236.66 °F. It boils at ​363.7 °F. Iodine is the 4th halogen being a member of the 17th element on the periodic table. Like the other halogens, iodine is one electron short. The halogens darken in color as it descends. The inter halogen is the least strong out of all the halogens.

One of iodine\'s chemical forms is that of a purple black vapor. This vapor is dangerous because it contains more than 1,100 micrograms (mcg) of iodine. Too much iodine can cause effects such as upset stomach, stomach pain, headache, runny nose, diarrhea, and a metallic taste. Elemental iodine softens when in water. Iodine when solid is blue and black.

Iodine is actually a rare element - it is #47 in the solar system and #60 in the Earths\' crust. We can get iodine removed from the ocean by electrolysis, brine (salt solution) used in oil fields in the US and Japan and from the caliche (sedimentary rock) in Chile.

All living organisms need iodine. Iodine is the heaviest element needed by the human body - its\' density near room temperature is 4.933 g/cm3. The National Institute of Health recommends a daily allowance of 120 mcg of iodine for boys and girls ages 9-13. For people14 and older the recommendation is 150 mcg. When you use 1/2 teaspoon of iodized salt you get about 135 mcg or up to 90% of an adult amount. More iodine is needed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding because the mom provides it to the growing baby.

The human body uses Iodine in many ways. Our bodies use iodine to make the hormones stored in our thyroid glands. These help control our basis metabolic rate - our use of energy, our making of proteins, action of enzymes inside our body. In a developing baby, iodine is important for the skeletal and central nervous system.

Some healthy foods that help us to get the amount of iodine we need in our daily diet include : Seaweed, Cod fish, plain yogurt,iodized salt, Milk, Fish sticks, enriched white Bread, Fruit cocktail, shrimp, chocolate Ice cream, Macaroni, Egg, Tuna, cream style Corn, Prunes, cheddar cheese, Raisin bran cereal.

A goiter can develop when the body stores too much iodine or is deficient in iodine. Our thyroid likes to gather iodine. So, when people are exposed to nuclear fallout which contains the radioactive form of Iodine, I - 131 you need take Potassium - iodide tablets to prevent the bad effects of this radiation Potassium iodide tablets are also used in medicine to treat a condition called thyrotoxicosis.
Links:
   Bullet  iodine gases
   Bullet  iodine crystal
   Bullet  spoon iodine
   Bullet  iodine medication
   Bullet  goiter
   Bullet  data base
   Bullet  iodine facts
   Bullet  caliche
   Bullet  NIH
   Bullet  foods with iodine
This page was edited by Sarah Breland (Teacher: Angela Ackley) using Web Poster Wizard.