Elementary Silver Trivia Quiz

Answer: Erbium

Erbium was discovered in 1843 by the Swedish chemist Carl Gustaf Mosander, who also found lanthanum and terbium. Both erbium and terbium were named for Ytterby, where they were discovered - ytterbium and yttrium are the other two.

Erbium is used in lasers, particularly in the medical field including dentistry and dermatology. It is silvery-white in appearance, although it does not occur in native form and has to be isolated from other elements.

Answer: Titanium

The English scientist William Gregor identified titanium in 1791 but the name was provided by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who rediscovered it in 1795 and gave it a name based on the Titans of Greek myth. Although titanium is found in many parts of the world it has to be extracted, a difficult task due to its reactivity.

It took until the 1950s for a method to be devised which made titanium widely available. It is commonly used in aircraft and shipping due to its strength combined with lightness and resistance to corrosion.

Answer: Chromium

Chromium was discovered in 1798 by a French chemist named Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin. Because chromium is the element that gives colours to precious stones such as ruby and emerald it was named for that property. Stainless steel consists of nearly 20% chromium added for its anti-corrosion properties and to add strength.

It also provides a glossy coating, often used for car bumpers (fenders) and usually called just chrome.

Answer: Tin

Tin was one of the metals known to our early ancestors who discovered that adding it to copper created the alloy called bronze. Others alloys include English pewter, which is tin mixed with antimony and copper, and solder, a mix of tin and lead. It is derived from an ore called cassiterite. The 'tins', or cans, used for foods are made from steel with a coating of tin.

Answer: Platinum

Platinum was unknown in Europe until the eighteenth century when it was brought there from Spanish explorers from South America. Its English name is derived from the Spanish word for little silver, which is platina. Although known for its use in jewellery, platinum also has important industrial uses in such items as catalytic converters in vehicles, in electronics and in treatments for diseases such as cancer.

Answer: Lithium

With a name meaning stone in Greek, pure lithium is so reactive it has to be stored in oil so it doesn't react with gases in the air. The ores containing lithium are mostly mined in South America, particularly from under the salt flats found in Bolivia and Argentina.

Lithium is used in the batteries that power our electronic devices, such as mobile (cell) phones. Another important use is a medical one, as compounds containing lithium can be effective in the treatment of mental issues such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder.

Answer: Polonium

Polonium was discovered in 1898 and given its name from Marie Curie's home country of Poland. It is derived from uranium ore and is highly radioactive, far more so than uranium itself. Her work with these elements contributed to Madame Curie's death. Polonium has been used in atomic bombs and as a poison. It has few everyday uses due its high toxicity.

Answer: Strontium

Strontium was first found in 1789 in Strontian, with Sir Humphry Davy isolating the metal from its ore in 1808. It is silvery white in colour, with a yellow tinge but quickly tarnishes in the air. Its uses include creating magnets, with strontium aluminate being used to create items which 'glow in the dark'. In fireworks, strontium carbonite is used to create red effects.

Answer: Mercury

Mercury's medical symbol is Hg from hydrargyrum, meaning water silver in Greek and it is also known as quicksilver - both of these relating to it being liquid at room temperature (and silver in colour, although you probably realised that). Over the years, mercury has had many uses and has caused a lot of deaths since our ancestors did not know about its toxic properties.

Its use for curing felt caused 'mad hatters' disease', a form of mercury poisoning. It was, and sometimes still is, used in fillings for teeth as part of an amalgam, but other medical uses, such as in thermometers, have been phased out.

Answer: Calcium

Another of the discoveries of Sir Humphry Davy, calcium is classed as an alkaline earth metal. While many of us would think of it as a mineral, particularly since we know it's needed for healthy bones and teeth, it is a metal in its natural form. Exposure to air changes it to calcium carbonate which is more familiarly known as chalk. Calcium is used to form alloys and to remove impurities from other metals - this is its purpose in steelmaking.