BS: Periodic Table of Elements

Subject: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 05:43 AM

I have recently been having a go on a very good site called Sporcle. It's a quiz-type of a thing. You get 15 minutes to type in all the 118 elements. As you type, the name puts itself in the right place in the boxes below.
I 'did' chemistry at school nearly 60 years ago, and science must have moved on somewhat (!) as I don't remember elements such as ununtrium, einsteinium or praseodymium. In fact, I only knew the basics (potassium, oxygen, carbon etc)
I got a paltry 33 out of 118 the first time, but being a stubborn old thing, I've become a total geek and after pushing my old brain,and hoping to ward off dementia, I've managed 113 this morning.
What shall I do when I finally get all 118? I've already done the 50 states of the USA and the 54 countries of Africa. My sister says I really should get a life!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 06:06 AM

Not quite on the same tack, but I have a brilliant little app called Chemio whose home page is the periodic table on which everything is clickable to provide a mine of information.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 06:19 AM

That should be handy Steve, as most of these 'new-fangled' elements are a complete mystery to me. My know-all sister (who being a doctor has more science in her head than me) says these recent elements have a very brief life or something, and because of that people didn't know they were there. But now they can be detected. There's a fascinating set of them made from name-places (californium, americium germanium, indium etc) and another lot made up from famous scientists' names (mendelevium, copernicium, nobelium etc) Very interesting!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 09:09 AM

Another feature of the heaviest elements is that they do not occur naturally. They have been synthesised by firing things like neutrons into lighter elements and on some occasions the lighter element takes n the neutrons, chucks out an electron (I think) and so increases the number of protons in the nucleus and so becomes a new heavier element.

They are very unstable and promptly fall apart. Sometimes their existence can only be known from the bits left over. All good fun hey.

Some of the above 'science' may need editing.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 10:01 AM

In my life states of matter have grown from 4 to over 12

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 10:32 AM

Fancy that Les! But it's a bit like cheating, creating synthetic elements which promptly fall apart. Is that what that Hedron Collider thing does? (Not fall apart, I mean bombard neutrons into stuff)

I got 114 this afternoon. I forgot nobelium, technetium, tellurium and hassium. This is driving me completely mad...

For some light relief I did the 12 countries of South America. Easy-peasy.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 10:36 AM

Donuel, you're quite right. I see there's even 'Strange Matter' and 'Degenerate Matter'. This is getting Pythonesque...

(There should be 'Doesn't Matter'...)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: meself
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:01 PM

When one of my sons was doing high school chemistry - stop me if I'e told you this before - I went into dad-mode and said, 'Do you have to memorize the Periodic Table? In MY day, we had to memorize the whole thing!" His response: 'Well, back in those days, there were only four elements, weren't there?'

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:12 PM

meself, that actually made me lol.

I used to go concerts by a band that was 3 out of the four.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:37 PM

Whenever I worry about the elements, I sing Tom Lehrer's song to myself...

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:39 PM

I once told the gastro-enterologist (who later informed me I have a 'small hiatus hernia') that my symptoms were Air Wind and Fire. He actually smiled (quite a dour individual normally) and asked, "What happened to Earth?"

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 12:45 PM

Oh Will, however did he manage to reel them off like that?
I love the last lines:

          "These are the only ones whose news have come to Harvard,
          There may be many others but they haven't been discarvered."

I also adore his 'Vatican Rag'. ("Genuflect!Genuflect!Genuflect!")

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 07:45 PM

I am still trying to get the whole Lehrer elements song committed to memory - il y en a de great big chunks, but the whole thing isn't quite there. And the ones that have been discavered since are filling in the holes quite nicely...

Uncut and unsubt
Tle

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jul 16 - 09:48 PM

How about the county seats of every county in the US? (Except Alaska, which has boroughs and Louisiana which has parishes, of course.)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Bill D
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 11:14 AM

For those who want an amazing program/application about the elements, go here.... http://periodictableexplorer.com/

Charts, lists, photos, information of every type! One of the best free programs I've ever run onto....

have fun!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Stringsinger
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 11:14 AM

check out the book "The Disappearing Spoon". It's great!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 12:37 PM

Rap, do you want to drive me mad? I'm already driven daft by this Sporcle thing. ;)

I only got 112 today, but the weather is very hot (excuses...)
The irritating thing is, it's a different lot of elements each time that I've forgotten. No sooner do I remember lutetium than I find I've left out cadmium. My husband is starting to give me funny looks...

I'm noting down all your suggestions and interesting links. When they've got me in a straight jacket in a locked ward and it's time for my calming meds, I'll be able to pass the time profitably!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 04:58 PM

Red alert! Chemio is free on Apps Gone Free today!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Joe_F
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 05:26 PM

There is one artificial element that (perhaps regrettably) does not promptly fall apart, namely plutonium. It is produced & stored in large quantities because it is useful for killing & destroying and thus is considered essential to national prestige. In addition to that, it is a pretty powerful poison (breathe in a microgram, and you die). It well deserves its association with the god of the underworld, but, oddly, that's not how it got its name: number 92 was already uranium, and so it was natural to name 93 & 94 neptunium & plutonium after the next two planets beyond Uranus. Pluto has since been demoted, but still enjoys the honor of having an element named after it.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 05:55 PM

Some of the names of the elements help me to remember them. I seem to get the planet ones, the ones Joe F lists above, quite easily.
I also get all the precious metals (gold, silver, titanium, rhodium and platinum) and what I call 'the salty ones', ie potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.
And all the ordinary metals (copper, tin, lead etc) although the last time I forgot bloody iron!
I'm so close to getting the 118, but there are always about four I miss.
I'm not sure what one does with an 'app'. I don't have a phobile moan, just a Chrome laptop.
Maybe tomorrow morning will be the day I get the lot. Then I've resolved NEVER to look at it again! Onwards and upwards!

By the way, I watched 'Forces Of Nature' this evening with Brian Cox (I rather fancy him, but don't tell anyone) He was explaining how the elements were involved in creating life. Living creatures were formed billions of years ago in hot springs, using the basic elements such as iron and molybdenum. I seem to be right up to my neck in Elements these days!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 06:00 PM

I know what he said 'e meant but I don't know what the 'ell 'e meant.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 06:42 PM

Don't worry, Senoufou. I know lots of women who are inordinately fond of Cox.


I'll get me coat...

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 06:48 PM

You might like this updated version of "The Elements Song" then, to a different but equally famous tune, which does take you up to element no 118.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgVQKCcfwnU

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 18 Jul 16 - 09:25 PM

We managed the beginning of it in high school:
Hydrogen: Here Little Beggar Boys Catch Newts Or Fish.
New Nature MagnifiesAll Sin (P.S. Chlorine)
A King Can Scan, 'Tis Vain Cries Man

Okay, some cheat by using first & third letters, but it helped!
And I remember it more than 40 years on.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 02:48 AM

I saw him first Steve!!

I'm torn between Brian Cox and David Attenborough. Bit of a tart really...

Tattie, thank you for that, most helpful!

I'm determined to do this, maybe today. (Fierce expression and teeth clenched...)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 02:58 AM

Tattie, I've just played your recommendation three times, and it really is good. I almost did the can-can while listening, but don't want to alarm my husband. (Although he's used to my mad behaviour by now)

Nigel, isn't it strange how well we remember things we learnt long ago at school? I suppose our young brains were receptive then. I can't even recall whether or not I put the dishwasher on this morning, but I can conjugate and decline Latin and German with relative ease! (Both those languages are absolute pigs to learn; I much prefer French!)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 03:16 AM

Ha!! Just got 116 !!!!
(thulium and technetium - the pigs!)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 10:07 AM

Tattie you are a hit. That was some fierce science.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 12:16 PM

In an effort to see from a different perspective

https://ascendingstarseed.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/nikola-tesla-told-walter-russell-to-hide-his-cosmogony-from-the-world-for-1000-years/

The spiral periodic table of elements has been around in the work of Tesla and some obscure English dudes.

In the link scroll down to the second video and play the video for a beautiful 1 minute overview.


spiral periodic table of elements

This was thinking outside the box.

Similar depictions are available today regarding the evolution of particles but requires a multitude of dimensions.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 01:36 PM

That was a bit over my head Donuel! But it does seem that the elements form some sort of pattern, and a spiral presents it more accurately than the Periodic Table in box form can, with hydrogen and helium near each other at the centre.
The chap narrating it has a lovely accent. Do you think it's a Devon one?

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Jul 16 - 03:01 PM

I don't know, I just thought it was pretty.

DNA is pretty
The Sun's spiral path around the Milky way is pretty.
Atomic bubble chambers are pretty.
Add time to any orbit and it becomes a spiral.
I don't even know why spirals are pretty.

Memorizing 118 elements is over my head. That takes linear genius.


Stuff like visualizing why dark matter is not sucked into black holes is clear to me.

We should never forget how differently people think and how similar we feel.

Keep your mind full and your bowels empty Senoufou.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 08:34 AM

The 'unun........' names are temporary while the powers that be decide on a permanent name.
If you want to get on with learning them the links from
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chemical_elements
tell you what they probably will be called.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 09:13 AM

Oh blimey FreddyHeadey! Don't tell me I'll have to learn a whole load of new names for the ununiums?? I'll look up your link and get stuck in, thank you. Gaaaaah!

I got 116 again this morning. How stupid to forget bloody NITROGEN???
(and hassium) Will I ever crack this? Husband says at least he's getting a bit of peace while I sit hunched over this laptop. (The cheeky thing)

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Jul 16 - 09:20 AM

Well, I've just consulted your link, and it seems these are the new names:-


ununtrium   - Nihonium

ununpentium - Muscovium

ununseptium - Tennessine

ununoctium - Oganesson

Oh Gawd!!! My poor old brain!!

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Jul 16 - 08:04 AM

I DID IT!!! I DID IT!!!! Got all 118 in 8 minutes!

I'm definitely not going to go on there ever again - it was driving me mad.

Subject: RE: BS: Periodic Table of Elements
From: Donuel
Date: 27 Jul 16 - 04:42 PM

Congratulations
That exercise seems more meaningful than crosswords, Capitols and Counties combined. You may have formed a new cerebral fissure.
It would have taken me 6 months or never.

A two or three element alloy may one day change our lives.
Just look at what Li Hydride has done.
20 years ago I pictured it as a triangle in a circle. The backstory is so unbelievable I will censor it.