Germanium and Friends Trivia Quiz

Answer: In d-block

Rhenium is a silvery-grey metal that turned out to be the last stable (non-radioactive) element to be discovered. Its discovery is credited to a team of German scientists - husband and wife, Walter and Ida Noddack, and Otto Berg - who identified it in various ores in 1925 and successfully extracted it from molybdenite in 1928. It is named after the River Rhine.

Rhenium has the chemical symbol Re and the atomic number 75. It can be found in the middle of the periodic table's d-block (where the 'd' stands for 'diffuse'), which contains 40 elements - 10 each in periods 4 to 7 which cover groups 3 to 12 of the table. These elements are all metals and are generally characterised by having d-orbital electrons that are chemically active. Most of these elements are also considered to be transition metals.

There are several common practical applications for rhenium, but the majority of it goes into making superalloys used in engine parts. It is particularly useful for this purpose due to the fact that it has the third-highest melting point of all the elements (behind carbon and tungsten).

This question was calmly composed by Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81.

Answer: Not in d-block

The element was discovered in 1861 by Robert Bunsen and Gustav Kirchhoff who were checking out samples of the mineral lepidolite with a spectroscope. They spotted two deep red lines that they had not encountered before and Bunsen was, eventually, able to isolate them two years later. Those two deep red lines would inspire the element's name, rubidium, coming from the Latin word for "deep red", rubidus.

It is a soft, silvery white metallic element of the alkaline group, appearing in group 1 of the period table (which falls in the section known as the s-block). It will ignite spontaneously in air, it reacts with water in a violent way and be careful that the temperature in the room does not rise too quickly as it can become liquid equally fast.

Today it is mostly obtained from the processing of lithium, and it is used in the manufacture of photocells and special glasses, removing the trace gases from vacuum tubes and, as it ionizes easily, there is a possibility that it could be used as a propellant in ion engines on spacecraft.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who felt it was appropriate that a question about a ruby element was written by a wizard from Oz.

Answer: Not in d-block

This is another discovery by the German chemists Robert Wilhelm Bunsen and Gustav Robert Kirchhoff. They uncovered caesium (also known as cesium) in 1860 when observing Durkheim mineral water. Within the spectrum they observed some deep blue lines and then used the Latin term for "sky blue" (caesius) to name it. The element was finally isolated in 1882 by German chemist Carl Setterberg.

A silvery white and very alkaline element, caesium is soft and ductile and appears directly below rubidium in the periodic table's s-block. It is one of three elements, the others being mercury and gallium, that are liquid at room temperature. Caesium does not like cold water, a substance with which it will react in an explosive manner.

Its uses, however, are limited and that's because it has the second lowest boiling point of all metallic elements. Like rubidium, it is used to remove trace gases from vacuum tubes. It is also used in atomic clocks and as a hydrogenation catalyst of certain organic compounds.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who, in a philosophical moment, pondered why the sky was blue. And in an inebriated moment figured that no one knows because no one bothered to ask about its feelings.

Answer: In d-block

Hassium is a highly radioactive, synthetic, transfermium element. It was first officially synthesized in 1984 by a team at the GSI (Gesellschaft für Schwerionenforschung) Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany led by Peter Armbruster and Gottfried Munzenberg. The GSI team used a process called nuclear bombardment, whereby a target nucleus (in this case lead-208) is bombarded with fast-moving high-energy particles (the GSI team used iron-58 nuclei). Russian scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research had successfully synthesized isotopes of hassium earlier in 1983, but the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry awarded official credit for the discovery and naming rights to GSI because its work was more detailed. Armbruster and Munzenberg would also synthesize darmstadtium a decade later.

Element 108 was officially named hassium in 1997, from "Hassias", the Latin form of the German state Hessen, in which GSI is located. Prior to synthesis, it had been called "unniloctium" or "eka-osmium". It is the last element in group 8 of the periodic table's d-block.

Not much is known about hassium, because only minute quantities have ever been produced, and all of its isotopes (of which there are at least 12) have extremely short half-lives on the order of microseconds to seconds, the most stable being hassium 269. However, its properties can be predicted based on other elements within its periodic group. If enough could be produced, it is expected that hassium would be a dense, solid, shiny, silvery white or gray metal at standard temperature and pressure.

This question was synthesized by Phoenix Rising's JCSon, who reminds you that no one can know for sure what atoms of element 108 look like because nobody hassium with the naked eye.

Answer: In d-block

Darmstadtium is a synthetic radioactive element that was first produced in 1994. It has the atomic number 110 and was known as ununnilium until 2003, when it was officially named after the city in which it was discovered at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research.

Darmstadtium has the abbreviation Ds and appears on the bottom row of the periodic table's d-block along with other relatively recently discovered synthetic radioactive elements. The element has no practical applications as it is highly unstable and its isotopes all have a half-life of only a few seconds or much less!

This question was dashed off by Phoenix Rising's Fifiona81.

Answer: Not in d-block

The German chemist Friedrich Dorn is given credit for discovering radon in 1900 while studying the decay of radium. Radon is radioactive, and has a half-life of about 3.8 days with most isotopes alpha-decaying into the element polonium. When Dorn discovered radon he called it "radium emanation". For a short time the element was called nitron, but the scientific community finally settled on the name radon in 1923 due to it being the decay of radium.

Radon is the heaviest known gas with a density of 0.00973 grams per cubic centimeter. It has a full p-orbital making it a noble gas and therefore not a d-block element. Radon is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and inert at standard temperature and pressure (STP). At temperatures below 202 Kelvin, radon will freeze and display a brilliant yellow phosphorescence.

In the early 1900s, radium was in high demand as a cancer treatment. Radon, the by-product of radium, became a cheaper alternative treatment. High concentrations of radon gas cause lung cancer and are often found at unsafe levels in uranium mines. Radium is also present in cigarette smoke and is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in smokers. In small amounts, radon is also given off by rocks, which is why it is a small part of the atmosphere. Radon can accumulate in unhealthy concentrations within living spaces with poor ventilation, thereby increasing the risk of lung cancer.

One interesting use of radon is in the detection of potential earthquakes. Soil samples near active fault lines have a higher concentration of radon alerting seismologists to imminently seismic activity.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's BigTriviaDawg who is opening all the windows of the house to let any unwanted radon out!

Answer: In d-block

The name of cadmium comes from the ancient names for calamine (zinc carbonite) - in Latin 'cadmia' and from the Greek word 'kadmeia'. The metal was discovered in 1817 by German chemist Friedrich Strohmeyer, who was studying samples of calamine (ZnCO3), and appears in the d-block of the periodic table in period 5, group 12.

Cadmium is a highly toxic carcinogen used in many industries, including in the manufacture of alloys, batteries and solar cells, electroplating, and in soldering as an alloy with silver. It is also useful in nuclear reactors as it easily absorbs neutrons. Leading producers of cadmium are China, South Korea, and Japan. It is thought that the absorption of cadmium in food can be reduced by zinc supplements.

This question was carefully introduced into the quiz by Phoenix Rising's VegemiteKid.

Answer: Not in d-block

Phosphorus was discovered in 1669 by alchemist Henning Brand in his search for the elusive gold-rendering philosopher's stone. His methods of isolation consisted of boiling urine for 16 hours until a pale-green phosphorescent liquid was given off. Since the liquid maintained a glow, Brand named it "phosphorus" after the Greek word for "light-bearing". Phosphorus, which has the abbreviation 'P', appears in the p-block of the periodic table in the same group as nitrogen.

Phosphorus has two common allotropes with very different properties. The most dangerous is white phosphorus which is often produced by industry as a starter for making phosphorus compounds. White phosphorus is obtained from phosphate rocks with extreme care as neither air nor sunlight can be present during processing. Air can lead to combustion and sunlight converts white phosphorus into yellow phosphorus and eventually red phosphorus. White phosphorus is highly poisonous if ingested and gives off a green glow when exposed to air. Red phosphorus is more stable and nontoxic. It ignites at a higher temperature and does not give off light. Red phosphorus is commonly used in fertilizers or for making fire starting matches.

Phosphorus is a critical organic element for living creatures. It can be found in the phosphate (PO₄⁻³) form as one of the backbone elements binding nucleic acids together. Phosphorus is also a critical element in the energy compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Phosphate is an essential part of our diet and is found in the food we eat. If phosphate levels are too high in a diet, calcium can be pulled from bones making them brittle. High phosphate levels can also lead to kidney damage.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's BigTriviaDawg who likes playing with matches. Fire! Fire!

Answer: In d-block

Zirconium is classified as a transition metal and therefore appears in the d-block of the periodic table. In its dry state, zirconium will appear as a shapeless, grey powder. Care needs to be taken with it as it may ignite spontaneously; it can be set off by static electricity and even a little moisture could be enough to make it combust. It will even continue to burn when immersed in water, with an even greater intensity than when it is in the air. It is perfect for pyrotechnics and it is used in the creation of corrosion resistant alloys.

Gems that contained zirconium had been around since ancient times and, whilst he failed to isolate the pure metal, it was the German chemist, Martin Klaproth, who managed to separate it in its "earth" form in 1789. A metallic form was eventually produced by Swedish chemist Jons Berzelius in 1824.

This question was written by Phoenix Rising's pollucci19 who, as Neil Zirconium, tried to pass himself off as a Neil Diamond impersonator... it was a sham rock show.

Answer: Not in d-block

Germanium was discovered at a mine at Freiberg, Germany, by Clemens Winkler in 1886. He was able to isolate it and, while he thought it was similar to antimony, he concluded it had more similarities to silicon. He named it germanium in honour of his country.

Germanium has 32 electrons with 4 valence electrons. It is a grey-white metalloid in the carbon group, which is also known as group 14 of the periodic table and forms part of its p-block. It is used as a semiconductor in electronic devices and transistors. In fact, the majority of early transistors used germanium, though it has mostly been replaced now with fibre-optic systems.

This question was unearthed by Phoenix Rising's VegemiteKid.