Manganese

Helen Teasdale

I’ll give you several clues to identify me,
number one is that I’m in block d.

First isolated by a Swedish Man,
a chemist named Johan Gottlieb Gahn
Discovered prior though by Carl Wilhelm Scheele,
and I’m a brittle solid at STP.

Fifth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust,
and for the majority of enzymes I’m absolute must.

Used throughout history to make colourless glass,
and more modernly fixing sulfur in steel – I’m top class
Most stable as an isotope with atomic number 55,
I’m difficult to fuse but easy to oxidize.

Through photosynthesis, your atmosphere I help restore,
Find me in Mendeleev table – group 7, period 4.

If you haven’t guessed me yet here the final clue,
my electron configuration is [Ar] 3d⁵ 4s²

There is 118 elements to name as you please,
but I am the one and only the mighty Manganese.