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Article: Name that element!(Our Popular Mystery Series Returns)
- Article from:
- Science World
- Article date:
- December 6, 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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Which element on the periodic table can make some crystal goblets sparkle, "glues" computer circuit parts together, and dust the mountain-tops on Venus? Follow these eight clues to find out. Then turn the page to test our chemistry IQ.
CLUE 1
HOCUS FOCUS
Alchemists (medieval chemists) believed they could convert the mystery element into gold (Au)--both members of the same period, or row on the periodic table. Their logic: By removing some of the mystery element's protons (positively charged particles), its atomic number would change into that of precious gold. Too bad this chemical wizardry wasn't successful.
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