Element Spotlight FINAL

Promethium

Named for Promethius, Greek titan who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to humanity

Promethium

Glow in the dark

Promethium

Highly Radioactive

Promethium

Its not found anywhere on earth and its found in the byproducts of uranium fission reactions.

Promethium

Due to its rarity, its primary purpose is for research

Gadolinium

Tracer for MRI

Terbium

One of the least abundant of the rare earth elements

Terbium

A product of nuclear fission

Dysprosium

Used to make a cement that absorbs neutrons and cools nuclear reactor rods

Holmium

Named after stockholm

Holmium

Magnetic properties, but no current uses

Erbium

Because it absorbs rays in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions, apt to give off pastel colors

Erbium

Used to give off pink hues to glass and porcelain glasses

Thulium

Has 25 isotopes

Thulium

Nasmed after thule, the original name for Scandinavian

Thulium

Expensive so few applications

Ytterbium

A possible use is in portable x-ray machines

Lutetium

Name derived from Lutetia, the ancient name for Paris

Lutetium

The most common isotope, half life is 30 billion years

Hafnium

Used in control rods in nuclear submarines

Hafnium

Extremely similar to Zr - collected when refining Zr

Hafnium

Very resistant to corrosion

Hafnium

Discovered because of Neil Bohr’s suggestion in studying Zr

Hafnium

One of the last elements to be discovered

Hafnium

Used for dating Earths layers

Tantalum

used in missle parts

Tungsten

Name means ‘heavy stone’

Tungsten

Has the highest melting point of all metals (glows a bright white)

Tungsten

Used in filament of light bulbs

Tungsten

Oned of the toughest materials in nature when found in a compound, but soft when found by itself, diamonds are the only thing harder than some alloys

Tungsten

Chinese porcelain makers used it for its peach pigment

Tungsten

80% of the worlds supply is controlled by China

Tungsten

Jewelry, drill bits, bullets

Tungsten

Counterfeiting gold bricks

Rhenium

Named after Rhine river in germany

Rhenium

Highest BP of all metals

Osmium

Twice as dense as lead-most dense naturally occurring element

Osmium

Produced from the by-products of nickel refining

Osmium

Combined with Ir to make fountain pen tips

Iridium

The most corrosion resistant of all known metals

Iridium

difficult to get into useful shapes

Iridium

Named from Latin word ““iris” which means rainbow, from the many compounds that are multicolored

Iridium

so dense that its mainly in the earths core versus crust

Platinum

Precious metal used in jewelry making & medical/dental field, catalytic converters, pacemakers

Platinum

Generally 95% pure, purest precious metal

Platinum

Meteorites and the moon has more ____ than we find on earth

Platinum

Back in the 14th century to the 18th century was known as ‘little silver’ or ‘white gold’

Platinum

anti-cancer drugs; about 50% of cancer patients are being treated with platinum containing drugs

Gold

has ancient origins; first __ coins appear around 7000 BC but known to man since 4000 BC

Gold

Pure ___= 24 karat so something 12 karat is only 50%

Gold

formed in supernovas; rare

Gold

the search has changed history

Gold

Approximately $130 billion stored in Fort Knox

Gold

About 78% goes to jewelry making

Gold

can be eaten and is sometimes offered at high end restaurants or chocolates

Gold

Used in medicine to reduce tumor cells

Mercury

known as quicksilver

Mercury

Used in thermometers and barometers

Mercury

Phrase ‘mad as a hatter’ came from people being exposed to ___ and having brain damage

Mercury

converted to methyl___ in ocean water, the most dangerous version of ___, picked up by consuming fish

Thallium

Toxic; used to be used as a rodent and ant killer but prohibited in 1972

Thallium

Used in photocells

Lead

Very versatile and used in many products until dangers were discovered

Lead

poisoning known to cause birth defects and deformities

Lead

Romans made their pipes out of ___; some believed this lead to the fall of Rome

Lead

Flint, MI - issues with ___ leaching into drinking water

Lead

still used for lining containers that hold gasoline and so finally got banned in 1996

Lead

Can block or contain radioactivity

Lead

Many times the final result in a nuclear decay series

Bismuth

Because of low melting point, used in heat activated, elements, fire extinguishers

Bismuth

Pink tinge; used in cosmetics makes substance shine

Bismuth

Main ingredient in Pepto-bismol

Bismuth

Pretty stable; extremely long half-life 200 billion, billion years