Hydrogen (H) is the first element in the periodic table.
Here's why:
* Atomic Number: The periodic table is organized by atomic number, which is the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. Hydrogen has one proton, making it the element with the lowest atomic number.
* Simplest Element: Hydrogen is the simplest element, containing only one proton and one electron.
* Abundance: It's also the most abundant element in the universe.
