Download Elements of the Periodic Table… What`s in a Name?

Name _____________ ium
Elements of the Periodic Table…
What’s in a Name?
Hour ______
If you think naming a puppy is difficult, you should try naming a new element! First, you need to think of an appropriate name and then
you need approval from the ACS (American Chemical Society) and the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry). Once
these organizations agree on a name, that name is assigned to that element permanently.
Elements 1-111 have permanent names but elements 112-118 are using their temporary systematic names until permanent names are
assigned. Actually, element 117 has not even been discovered yet (but we know it’s out there).
Directions:
Using your list of elements and the following clues, determine which element names were inspired by these famous people, places, and things.
Famous People:
Ernest Rutherford; British
Glenn Seaborg; American
Neils Bohr; Danish
Lise Meitner; Austrian
Pierre and Marie Curie
Albert Einstein; Austrian
Enrico Fermi; Italian
Ernest Lawrence; American
Alfred Nobel; Swedish
Dmitri Mendeleev; Russian
The “Father of Nuclear Science”. First to break the nucleus of an atom in 1911.
Part of a team which discovered the elements Plutonium, Americium, Curium,
Berkelium, Californium, Einsteinium, and Mendelevium.
Designed the Bohr Model of the atom in 1913. Later advised the Atomic Bomb project.
She worked with Otto Hahn to discover the process of nuclear fission in 1938.
French husband and wife team. Discovered the elements Radium and Polonium.
One of the greatest scientists of all time. Known for his work with nuclear physics and for his theory of
relativity (E=MC2).
Produced the first nuclear chain reaction in 1942. Worked on atomic bomb project.
Invented and developed the first particle accelerator in 1939 which led to the discovery of the subatomic
particle called the Meson.
Made the use and handling of explosives safer by inventing dynamite. He established and funded the Nobel
Prize to honor people who benefited society.
Developed the periodic law of elements from which the periodic table was made.
Famous Places:
University of California at Berkeley
Countries and Continents
Planets and planetoids
Many elements were discovered in the science laboratories here.
Some elements were named for countries and continents. Use an atlas if needed.
Some elements were named for planets and planetoids.
(Mercury, Venus , Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto).
Element Name
Symbol
Atomic #
Use this clue to find the element name. Write in a clue if none is given:
Famous People
Einsteinium
Clue
Es
99
Named after one of the greatest scientists of all time. Famous for his theory of relativity (E=MC2).
Named after a Danish scientist who designed a model of the atom in 1913.
Meitnerium
Cm
(write the clue here)
Mt
(write the clue here)
Named for the “Father of Nuclear Science”. He was the first to break the nucleus of an atom.
Named for the scientist who developed the first “particle accelerator” in 1939.
Named after the American scientist who helped discover Plutonium, Americium, etc.
Named after the Italian scientist who produced the first nuclear chain reaction in 1942.
(write the clue here)
Md
Named after the inventor of dynamite. He also established and funded the Nobel prize.
Use this clue to find those elements named for famous places:
Famous Places
Discovered at the University of California at Berkeley.
Cf
97
Am
Discovered at the University of California at Berkeley.
(write name of country here)
95
Europe
(write name of country here)
Francium
Germany
(write name of country here)
49
Gonyoium
Gy
101.5
Just kidding … I had an extra blank in this table that needed filling.
(write the name of the planet/planetoid)
Mercury
Neptune
Uranus
Pu
94
(write the name of the planet/planetoid)