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Article: Name that element! Our popular mystery series returns!(Physical science: chemistry)
- Article from:
- Science World
- Article date:
- January 12, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Stop: Without this element, you'd be paralyzed. It helps move muscles and builds strong bones. It also forms gross soap scum in your shower. What is it? Grab a periodic table (next page) and follow these eight clues to find out. Then turn the page to test your chem IQ.
--Gretchen Hoffmann
CLUE 1
IT'S A BUST
In its pure state, it's the fifth-most-plentiful element in Earth's crust (layer of rock that forms Earth's outer surface). But this alkaline earth metal is more commonly found in compounds (two or more elements that are chemically combined). One common partnership is with carbonate ions (positively charged molecules made of one ...