Name that element! Which element on the periodic table turns a white car brown, keeps notes stuck on the refrigerator door, and holds up the world's skycrappers? Follow these eight clues to find out. Then turn the page to test your chemistry IQ.CLUE 1 FOOLED YOU! The mystery element is rarely found in nature by itself. When combined with sulfur (S), it forms a mineral called pyrite. This mineral's yellow-gold color and sparkly spark·ly adj. spark·li·er, spark·li·est 1. a. Giving off tiny flashes of light; glittery: a dress with sparkly sequins. b. surface can fool people into thinking they've found gold (Au). That's why the substance is also called "fool's gold." Like real gold, the mystery element is a metal, which means that heat and electricity can flow through it easily. GOT IT ALREADY? SCORE 100 POINTS, IF NOT, READ CLUE #2 CLUE 2 TOUGH AS NAILS When combined with carbon (C), the mystery element forms a superstrong alloy (mixture of metals, or a metal and a nonmetal nonmetal, chemical element possessing certain properties by which it is distinguished from a metal. In general, this distinction is drawn on the basis that a nonmetal tends to accept electrons and form negative ions and that its oxide is acidic. ) called steel. "Without steel, you wouldn't be able to build skyscrapers," says Ron Ashburn, a steel industry representative. To prevent corrosion, engineers mix steel with chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni)--members of the same period, or row, as the mystery element. This makes stainless steel, which is rustproof rust·proof adj. Incapable of rusting. rust  proof v. . NABBED THE ANSWER? SCORE 80 POINTS. STILL GUESSING? GO TO THE NEXT CLUE. CLUE 3 STEAMY SNACK Some microorganisms that live at the bottom of the ocean feed on the mystery element. These microbes thrive near hydrothermal vents, or hot springs that pump out water that's been superheated su·per·heat tr.v. su·per·heat·ed, su·per·heat·ing, su·per·heats 1. To heat excessively; overheat. 2. by volcanic activity deep inside Earth. The planet's molten-hot center consists mainly of the mystery element. So it spews forth from these deep-sea cracks to provide a tasty meal for the hardy microorganisms. How hardy are they? One tiny feeder was discovered living near a vent heated to 121[degrees]C (250[degrees]F), says Barbara Campbell, a marine biologist from the University of Delaware [3] The student body at the University of Delaware is largely an undergraduate population. Delaware students have a great deal of access to work and internship opportunities. . GAME OVER ALREADY? SCORE 60 POINTS. STILL PLAYING? CHECK OUT CLUE #4. CLUE 4 ROCK STAR Rocks made mostly of the mystery element can break off from an asteroid or a comet. When one of these meteors whizzes through Earth's atmosphere, the rock heats up. The smoldering smol·der also smoul·der intr.v. smol·dered, smol·der·ing, smol·ders 1. To burn with little smoke and no flame. 2. streak can be seen as a shooting star. "Every day, about 3,000 tons of space material falls to Earth--most in the form of shooting stars," says Nicholas White, a NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. astronomer. Meteors also contain nickel (Ni), which, like the mystery element, is a transition metal. NAME IT NOW? SCORE 40 POINTS. OTHERWISE, READ ON. CLUE 5 SPECIAL DELIVERY A scrape can send blood gushing from your body. Without the mystery element, your blood wouldn't be a brilliant-red color. That's because this element helps build hemoglobin, a protein that makes up most of a red blood cell red blood cell: see blood. . Besides adding the "red" to blood, hemoglobin powers your muscles by shuttling oxygen to them from your lungs. If your blood were to lack the mystery element, it wouldn't get enough oxygen to your tissues, and you would tire easily. HIT ON THE ANSWER? SCORE 20 POINTS. IF NOT, KEEP TRYING! CLUE 6 HIT THE GYM To be strong like Popeye, eat foods packed with the mystery element. "Spinach is full of this element, but it's not the best way to get it," says Lora Sporny, a nutritionist nu·tri·tion·ist n. One who is trained or is an expert in the field of nutrition. nutritionist Dietitian, see there at Columbia University in New York. That's because plants rich in the mystery element contain a type of salt that prevents your blood from absorbing this element. For a heaping helping: Eat meat, beans, or nuts. SCORE 10 POINTS IF YOU NAME THE ELEMENT WITH THE HELP OF SIX CLUES. STILL GUESSING? READ ON. CLUE 7 RUSTY RIDES Even junkyard cars would have a shiny coat if it weren't for the mystery element. That's because when this element is exposed to water and oxygen, it turns into a brittle, reddish-brown substance known as rust. Rusting is a result of oxidation, a chemical reaction in which an element gives up one or more electrons. When the mystery element loses an electron, it's left with the same atomic number as manganese (Mn). GUESS THE ELEMENT? SCORE 5 POINTS. IF NOT, TRY YOUR LAST CLUE. CLUE 8 HOLD UP This element keeps your "A+" exams posted on your refrigerator door. In a chunk of metal, every atom (smallest unit of an element) has a north and a south magnetic pole
The Earth's South Magnetic Pole is the wandering point on the Earth's surface where the geomagnetic field lines are directed vertically upwards. . That means each atom is a tiny magnet. When all the atoms in the metal line up so their poles face the same direction, the whole chunk becomes magnetic. Hint: This metallic element has 26 electrons. GAME'S OVER. NOW TURN TO PAGE 20. Anatomy of an Element KEY DEFINITIONS: ATOMIC NUMBER equals the number of protons (positively charged particles) in an atom's nucleus, or center. Every element contains a different number of protons, and so has a unique atomic number. In a neutral atom, the number of protons and the number of electrons (negatively charged particles) are equal. ATDMIC MASS equals the number of protons plus the number of neutrons (uncharged particles) found in a single atom of an element. The atom's mass is in its nucleus, which houses both protons and neutrons. It's Your Choice Test your chemistry IQ! Answer the following questions about elements and the periodic table. 1. Name that element! 2. The mystery element is what kind of element? A Nonmetal B Noble gas C Transition metal D Alkali metal 3. Which of the following is not a member of Group 8? A Oxygen (o) B Ruthenium ruthenium (r  thē`nēəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Ru; at. no. 44; at. wt. 101.07; m.p. about 2,310°C;; b.p. about 3,900°C;; sp. gr. 12. (Ru) C Osmium osmium (ŏz`mēəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Os; at. no. 76; at. wt. 190.2; m.p. 3,045±30°C;; b.p. 5,027±100°C;; sp. gr. 22.57 at 20°C;; valence usually +0 to +8. (Os) D Hassium hassium (hăs`ēəm, häs`–), artificially produced radioactive chemical element; symbol Hs; at. no. 108; mass number of most stable isotope 265; m.p., b.p., sp. gr., and valence unknown. (Hs) 4. Which of the following elements has fewer electrons than manganese (Mn)? A Silver (Ag) B Copper (Cu) C Gold (Au) D Aluminum (Al) 5. What type of material does heat and electricity flow through most easily? A Metal B Noble gas C Nonmetal D Hydrogen 6. Which of the following transition metals is a member of the same period as nickel (Ni)? A Rhodium rhodium (rō`dēəm), metallic chemical element; symbol Rh; at. no. 45; at. wt. 102.9055; m.p. about 1,966°C;; b.p. 3,727±100°C;; sp. gr. 12.41 at 20°C;; valence +2, +3, +4, +5, or +6. (Rh) B Cobalt (Co) C Cadmium (Cd) D Palladium (Pd) |
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