2.2.

5 Explore: A History of the Elements Exploration

Chemistry Honors Sem Name:
1 Date:

In this practice, you will apply what you have learned in the lesson. Answer the
questions below. Submit this to your teacher when you are done.

The following Web site provides details about the discovery of specific
elements as well as some information about how elements are discovered
and verified.

● History of Chemical Elements

1. Answer the following questions about specific elements. (10 points)

a. Click on the symbol for calcium (Ca). Where does calcium come from? Is
calcium a natural element? (2 points)

Calcium (Ca) is a natural element that comes from the Earth's crust.

b. Scroll down to the first synthetic element that is listed after calcium. What is
its name? How was this element discovered? (2 points)

The first synthetic element that is listed after calcium is technetium

(Tc).It was discovered in 1937 by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè,
who were able to produce it artificially by bombarding molybdenum
with deuterons.

c. Click back to the periodic table. Click on the element in Group 7 and Period 5.
Is this a natural element or a synthetic element? Explain your answer. (2 points)

The element in Group 7 and Period 5 is Technetium (Tc). It is a

synthetic element. Technetium can only be produced artificially
because most forms or isotopes of it (atoms of the same chemical
element with different numbers of neutrons) have an excess of
neutrons, making it very unstable

d. Scroll through the list of elements. Find three elements that have been known
“since prehistoric times.” Why do you think these elements would have been
known for so long? (4 points)

Three elements that have been known “since prehistoric times” are:
gold, silver, and iron. I think these elements would have been known
for a very long time because these metals were considered
precious and had many uses during these times.
 2. Scroll to the top of this page and read the introduction on the history of the
origin of chemical elements. Then answer these questions. (5 points)

a. How were elements identified in the late 18th century? (2 points)

b. Why do you think an element could be identified more accurately now than in
the 18th or 19th century? (3 points)

An element can be identified more accurately now than in the 18th

or 19th century due to the advancements in technology, scientific
knowledge, and the development of the modern periodic table. In
the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists relied on simple chemical
tests and observational methods to identify elements.
 X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is one modern means of identifying
elements. Use the following Web site to explore how this technology works.

● Identifying Elements in Products using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

3. Answer the following questions to explain how XRF spectroscopy technology

works. (6 points)

a. What happens when an X-ray is shot at an atom? (3 points)

The X-ray ionized electrons close to the nucleus, blasting them out
of the atom. As the closest spaces emptied out, electrons further
away moved inward.
 b. How can the release of photons allow you to identify the elements in a
substance that is being tested using XRF spectroscopy? (3 points)

The identification of elements by X-ray methods is possible due to

the characteristic radiation emitted from the inner electronic shells
of the atoms under certain conditions.

Go to the following Web site and scroll to the bottom. Read this Web site’s
summary of how XRF spectroscopy works.

● Spectroscopy

4. Look at the spectral “fingerprint” produced using XRF spectroscopy at the

bottom of the Web page. Analyze this “fingerprint” by answering the following
questions. (4 points)

a. What elements have been identified in the sample? (2 points)

The elements that have been identified in the sample are mercury (Hg), gold (Au), copper (Cu),
and lead (Pb).

b. Which element has the highest concentration? How do you know? (2 points)

The element with the highest molar mass will have the highest
concentration. Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance
and is expressed in grams per mole (g/mol)

Copyright © 2019 Apex Learning Inc. Use of this material is subject to Apex Learning's Terms of Use. Any unauthorized
copying, reuse, or redistribution is prohibited. Apex Learning ® and the Apex Learning Logo are registered trademarks of Apex
Learning Inc.

2.2.5 Explore: A History of the Elements