Essential Elements Trivia Quiz

Answer: Alkali metals

Alkali metals all have their outermost electron in an s-orbital, which means that the six metals in the group have similar characteristics. In this case they are all soft, shiny metals that are highly reactive due to their tendency to lose their outer electron and form cations with a +1 charge.

Lithium has atomic number 3, and has the distinctions of being the first metal on the periodic table, and for being the least dense solid element. As with most elements, it has many applications, but one of the most common uses for lithium is in the production of lithium-ion batteries.

Answer: Alkali metals

More common characteristics of alkali metals are that they have low melting and boiling points, compared to other metals.

Sodium has atomic number 11, and is the most common of the six different alkali metals and the sixth most abundant element in the Earth's crust. Its symbol, Na, comes from the Latin word 'natrium', which itself came from the Greek word 'nitron', that was used to describe sodium carbonate.

Some common uses of sodium compounds include table salt (sodium chloride), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and used in detergents (sodium hydroxide).

Answer: Alkali metals

In addition to lithium, sodium and potassium, the other three members of the alkali metal grouping are [Rb] rubidium (37), [Cs] caesium (55) and [Fr] francium (87).

Potassium has atomic number 19 and the symbol K comes from the neo-Latin word 'kalium', which actually has the same root as the term 'alkali', which comes from the Arabic 'al-qalyah'. Both terms refer to potash, from where the element was first isolated.

Apart from the many uses of potassium, it is also an essential element to living, as potassium ions are needed to transfer across nerve cell membranes as a necessity for normal nerve transmission. Thus, the importance of including potassium-rich foods in your diet, like fresh fruits and vegetables.

Answer: Transition metals

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defines a transition metal as "an element whose atom has a partially filled d sub-shell, or which can give rise to cations with an incomplete d sub-shell". On the Periodic Table, this includes all of Groups 4 through 11 (and 12, to a degree), which are comprised of 32 (or 36) different elements.

Chromium has atomic number 24, and is the first element in Group 6 (which includes [Mo] molybdenum (42), [W] tungsten (74), and [Sg] seaborgium (106). Chromium is known for its great resistance to oxidation, and is commonly used in electroplating, as well as being the primary additive to make 'stainless steel' alloys.

Answer: Transition metals

Four of the transition metals were known to ancient peoples, namely iron, copper, silver, and gold. And this is why we utilize their original Latin names as their symbols: [Fe] iron (26) = ferrum, [Cu] copper (29) = cuprum, [Ag] silver (47) = argentum, and [Au] gold (79) = aurum.

Silver is highly valued for its properties of having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. In a related fashion, silver is considered a 'precious metal' and has widely been used in coinage and jewelry over the centuries, amongst its myriad other uses. It is found in the Group 11 elements, which include copper, gold, and [Rg] roentgenium (111).

Answer: Transition metals

More common characteristics of transition metals (Groups 4 through 11) are their high density and their high boiling and melting points. Group 12 elements, however, don't follow this trend, and have comparatively low boiling and melting points, hence their uncertain status within the larger group.

Tantalum has atomic number 73 and was named for Tantalus of Greek mythology. It is part of the Group 5 elements, which also include [V] vanadium (23), [Nb] niobium (41), and [Db] dubnium (105). Tantalum is primarily used in electronic components in electrolytic capacitors, although (of course) that is not its only use.

Answer: Metalloids

There isn't a firm consensus on which elements on the Periodic Table are metalloids, although there are a core group of them that are widely accepted as such. A metalloid is an element that has properties that belong to both metals and non-metals.

Boron has atomic number 5, and is quite rare, constituting only 0.001 percent of Earth's crust. Its primary use is as an additive in fiberglass - about half of all boron production. Of all the metalloids (and non-metals), boron has the highest melting (2076 °C) and boiling (3927 °C) points.

Answer: Metalloids

On the Periodic Table, there is often a thicker line running in a zigzag to delineate the metals from the non-metals. All of the metalloids (and those that are sometimes considered metalloids) are along that line, on one side or the other.

Silicon has atomic number 14, and is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass, and the most abundant of the metalloids. Silicate minerals comprise more than 90% of the Earth's crust, making silicon (at about 28% of the crust's mass) second only to oxygen, (which has about 46% of the crust's mass) as Earth's most abundant element (in the crust).

Silicate minerals are mostly used in construction - you may recognize them as the clays, silica sand, and building stone you see on a day-to-day basis. Silicates are also used to make cement, mortar, and stucco. And, of course, much, much more.

Answer: Metalloids

In addition to boron, silicon, and arsenic, the other three widely accepted metalloids are [Ge] germanium (32), [Sb] antimony (51), and [Te] tellurium (52).

Arsenic has atomic number 33, and is considered to be extremely toxic (classified as a Group-A carcinogen), which has resulted in a reduction of its commercial use over time. Primarily, arsenic is used in lead alloys for such things as car batteries and ammunition. Its toxicity was found useful in the production of pesticides, herbicides and insecticides, but not so much anymore.

Answer: Halogens

On the Periodic Table, the halogens can all be found in Group 17, which is the next to last column on the chart. The name 'halogen' was proposed for this group in 1811 by German chemist Johann Schweigger, as the word means 'salt producer'. All the elements in the halogen group will produce a variety of salts when reacting with metals.

Fluorine has atomic number 9, and it is the most electronegative element, which means that it reacts with nearly every other element. The only exceptions are argon, neon, and helium, which are all noble gases. Fluorine has many applications... it is part of the materials Teflon and Gore-Tex, has been used in refrigeration and aerosols (although no longer due to the effect of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer), and is an additive in water supplies to help prevent tooth decay.

Answer: Halogens

The halogen group is the only group where the different elements represent each of the main states of matter (at standard temperature and pressure). Fluorine and chlorine are gaseous, [Br] bromine (35) is a liquid, and [I] iodine (53) is a solid.

Chlorine has atomic number 17, and it has a number of commonly-known uses, perhaps most common being in plastics (such as polyvinyl chloride, or PVC) or joined with sodium as sodium chloride (table salt). Unfortunately, chlorine also has a dark history in the use of chlorine gas in chemical warfare.

Answer: Halogens

The high reactivity of the halogens is due to the fact that they have seven valence electrons in their outermost energy level, meaning that they readily want to gain that last electron to complete the octet rule. There are two other elements in the halogen group not yet mentioned... [At] astatine (85) and [Ts] tennessine (117)... they are both unstable halogens, and the latter of the two is synthetic and the second-heaviest known element.

Iodine has atomic number 53, and it is the heaviest element that is considered an essential mineral nutrient, required for proper thyroid function. Commercial uses for the element include inks and dyes, disinfectants, and in medicine in various pharmaceuticals and as an internal contrasting agent in imaging techniques (amongst many other uses).