Download NOVA: Hunting the Elements

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NOVA: Hunting the Elements
Part 1: Basic Chemistry
Periodic Table of Elements
Use the periodic table below to help you answer some questions covered in the documentary.
Gold - Au
1.
Write the number of subatomic particles in gold:
a. Protons: 79
b. Neutrons: 118
c. Electrons: 79
2. Give one property of gold.
shiny, malleable (soft), high density, electrically conductive
3. How much gold is in one ton of the mined rock?
1 ounce
4. How much is each truckload of ore worth, once the gold is extracted?
$720,000
5. What determines how reactive an element is?
ability to give up/take an electron (willingness to share electrons)
6. What are the nobel metals?
ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum, and gold
7. Why is gold so heavy?
high density
Copper - Cu
8. Write the number of subatomic particles in copper:
a. Protons: 29
b. Neutrons: 35
c. Electrons: 29
9. List three uses of copper.
Electronics, plumbing, wire
10. Give one property of copper.
Conductive, Antibacterial
The Alloy
11. What alloy does tin make when mixed with copper?
Bronze (20% Tin, 80% Copper)
12. How are atoms arranged in pure metals?
Orderly Rows & Columns
13. Why isn’t pure copper used for bells instead of bronze?
Copper is too soft and dents easily. Bronze produces a longer lasting ring.
Electron Microscope
14. How much would you have to zoom in on a map of the United States to replicate the power of an
electron microscope?
100,000,000x (see a bug crawling in the grass)
15. Why is the microscope wrapped in acoustic blankets?
to absorb & reflect sound waves
16. What part of the atom is actually visible under the microscope?
the outermost boundary of the atom
17. What do protons determine about an element?
determines the identity or type of element
18. What is the number of protons called?
atomic number
19. Label the atomic number, symbol, and atomic mass of calcium below:
<-------- Atomic Number
<-------- Chemical Symbol
<-------- Atomic Mass
20. Give an example of a real-life object made from each of the following elements:
a. Calcium – Bone, Chalk, Milk
b. Bismuth – Stomach Medicine
c. Bromine – Soda
21. What is a family of elements?
Group / Column in the Periodic Table (Related to the properties of the elements)
22. Where did the noble gases get their name?
They don't combine or react with other elements
23. What do electrons determine?
The element's Reactivity
24. How many electrons can fill each of the orbital levels in the diagram below?
18
8
2
Chlorine - Cl
25. Give the number of atomic particles in chlorine:
a. Protons – 17
b. Neutrons – 18
c. Electrons – 17
26. Chlorine wants to ( take / give away ) one electron, becoming an ( ion / isotope ).
27. Why do alkali metals and halogens react so strongly with other elements?
Alkali metals want to lose an electron
Halogens want to gain an electron
28. What do sodium and chlorine make when combined?
Table Salt (NaCl)
29. Compare the properties of each
of the(Na)
following:
Sodium
Chlorine (Cl)
Sodium Chloride (NaCl)
State of Matter
Solid
Gas
Solid
Reactive or Stable
Reactive
Reactive
Stable
Practical Use
Sodium
Compounds (Salt)
Poisons
(Disinfects Water)
Table Salt
Oxygen - O
30. What is ANFO?
Fertilizer (ammonium nitrate)
31. What do each of the spikes on the ion chromatograph represent?
The different elements present after the explosion
32. Label the components in this chemical reaction of the ANFO explosion.
Carbon
Water
Oxygen
C + NH4NO3 – H2O + N2 + O2
Ammonium
Nitrate
Nitrogen
33. What element powers the reaction of a buring candle and the formation of rust?
Oxygen
34. Compare the speed and explosive force of gunpowder, emulsion-gel, and C4. Which is the fastest?
Explain why.
(Fastest) 1. C4 -- 2. Emulsion-Gel -- 3. Gunpowder (Slowest)
C4 is the fastest because there are a high concentration of oxygen atoms located close to the other
elements in the molecule, which allows them to combine very quickly and release large amounts
of energy.