Know Your Element (Facts)
1) Identify the individual or individuals credited with the discovery of your element.
2) Describe the state of matter of your element at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Identify two phase transitions and the conditions (temperature, pressure) at which they occur.
3) Denote the density of your element at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. How does this relate to the density of other materials? Would it sink or float in water? Would it sink or float in air?
4) Report three unique types of radii for your element. Briefly describe why they differ as well as which is most important for describing your element and why.
5) Create an orbital energy diagram of a neutral atom of your element. Identify and describe the highest energy occupied orbital of a neutral atom of your element.
Put Some Numbers To It (Calculations)
1) Calculate the weight of one gallon of your element at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
2) Use Coloumb’s Law to calculate the energy released if an electron interacts with a nucleus of your element at the radius of your element if they initially started out separated by a large distance.
3) Calculate the energy that would be released for a mole of such situations described in #2.
4) Calculate how long the amount of energy in #3 would be able to power a home in the USA if the average home in the USA uses 40 million BTUs of energy per year. Calculate how long it could power the average home in the world that uses 10 million BTUs of energy per year.
In The Lab (Experiment)
1) Consider the following hypothesis: “Your element can be separated from a random mixture of multiple pure elements”. Design a set of procedures that could conceivably
isolate your element from an unknown random mixture and subsequently identify your isolated element.
2) Describe possible outcomes of your procedures in #1. What could you conclude from each of those outcomes?
Tell Me More (Narrative)
1) Describe (when, who, how) the discovery of your element.
2) Describe (when, who, how) an early (prior to 1950) experiment or device that involved your element.
3) What is an important non-medical use – device or process – that involves your element? Describe in detail how your element is involved in the device or process. What aspects of your element make it uniquely appropriate for this use over alternatives?
4) Participate in a CANVAS discussion board sharing your findings & responding to at least two other individual’s posts – reproduce your relevant posts in your submission.
How Do You Know? (Annotated Bibliography)