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Answers to Readers' Questions on Chemistry:
Periodic Table
The following 39 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.
List of first 10 items
- How many electrons are in the outer oribit?
- What does it mean when a material is radioactive?
- How come (Au) gold has only 6 shells?
- Where is Helium in the table?
- How can you tell Cl is larger than K?
- Does element 119 exist?
- Confused about an element (Na)
- Why was the name carbon given?
- Why can't the symbol have two capital letters?
- Who made the periodic table?
How many electrons are in the outer oribit?
Question
October 15, 2009
How many electrons are in the outer oribit of the column on the left?
Sia - USA
18514
Answer
The first table on the page shows 1 electron.
What does it mean when a material is radioactive?
Question
October 15, 2009
What does it mean when a material is radioactive?
Sia - USA
18513
Answer
A radioactive material gives off high energy radiation and sub-atomic particles that can be harmful. After giving off subatomic particles, the material decays into another element.
How come (Au) gold has only 6 shells?
Question
October 11, 2009
how come (au) gold has only 6 shells
andre - Trinidad and Tobago
18480
Answer
All of the elements in that row from Hafnium (Hf) to Gold (Au) to Radon (Rn) have 6 shells. That is how the Periodic Table is organized.
Where is Helium in the table?
Question
April 14, 2008
The placement in the periodic table is according to the atomic number. What is the place for Helium?
uncertain - Jamaica
15730
Answer
Helium (He) is number 2 and has an atomic weight of 4. Since its outer orbit is filled (2 electrons) it is in the Nobel Gases column, consisting of gases that do not readily combine with other chemicals.
How can you tell Cl is larger than K?
Question
March 24, 2007
Hello,
I have two questions to ask:
1.How can you tell Cl= is larger than K+?
2.We still see the image of the sun after the sunset. Would you please explain why?
Thank you for answering.
- China
13426
Answer
Look on the Periodic Table of Elements at:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/chemperiodic2.htm
It shows that Cl has an atomic weight of 35.45 and K has an atomic weight of 39. Also, since K has one more shell than Cl, it is also physically larger.
But if you are talking about ions, K+ would not have the extra outer shell, while the extra electron in Cl= would be in that 4th shell.
The atmosphere acts as a lens to bend the light rays, so that we see the image of the Sun.
Does element 119 exist?
Question
January 5, 2007
Dear learing for champions,
I was wondering, has the periodic table of elements gone past 118? I really want to know, and my teacher said she'd give me extra credit if i found it out ( i need it) Please respond.
dandan16 - USA
12747
Answer
Look at http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/chemperiodic2.htm.
The last underlined element is 107. The last one on the list is 118. It is called Ununoctium.
Element 119 was just recently discovered. Its name is Ununennium.
Confused about an element (Na)
Question
November 16, 2006
I am studying the Periodic Table and I am confused about an element (Na).
If Na has 11 electrons and is in the third orbit, then the first two orbits are full which equals 8 electrons. This means, if I am correct, that there are three electrons floating about with an incomplete third orbit. If this is the case, why wouldn't the Na be under the category of +3 electrons since it has three electons MORE than having its third orbit empty?
I do undertand that +1 means there is only one electron in the outer orbit but I still would want to classify Na as a +3.
Thank you.
Cathy - USA
12407
Answer
Sodium has 2 electrons in the first orbit or shell, 8 electrons in the second shell and 1 in the third shell. 2 is the most that can be in the first shell and 8 is the most that can be in the second shell.
See the Detailed Periodic Table at:
http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/chemperiodic2.htm
Then click on Na and you will see the number of electrons in each shell or orbit.
Why was the name carbon given?
Question
November 12, 2006
why was the name carbon given?
nicole - USA
12378
Answer
It is from the Latin word "carbo", meaning coal.
Why can't the symbol have two capital letters?
Question
August 18, 2006
Why can't the symbol of an element have TWO capital letters instead of one?????
THank you! ^_^
Rocio - USA
11726
Answer
There is no special reason. They just established the convention of only having the first letter capitalized and have kept it since. It is best to follow the convention so as not to cause confusion.
Who made the periodic table?
Question
June 14, 2006
" Who made the periodic table?
" When?
" Why?
" Who was his family?
martin - England
11322
Answer
For a brief history of the Periodic Table, see:
http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch412/perhist.htm
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