#chemistry nerd

[useless-science-polls]

ELEMENT TOURNAMENT:

ROUND 1 POLL 2

which is better?

aluminum (Al)

radium (Ra)

Voting ended onApr 11

info:

aluminum (Al) is (debatably) a post-transition metal. its atomic number is 13.

Al is an extremely low density metal. about a third as dense as steel.

Al’s only stable isotope is 27Al, which is incredibly common naturally 

Al is used all the time in transportation, engineering, construction, and packaging

Al LOOOVES oxygen, and forms a protective layer of oxide on its surface when exposed to air

radium (Ra) is an alkaline earth metal. its atomic number is 88.

all possible isotopes of Ra are radioactive

when Ra decays, its ionizing radiation emissions can excite fluorescent chemicals and cause radioluminescence. this is what led to its use in self-luminous paint production, and the “radium girls” incident that followed.

Ra is found naturally in uranium ores, though in fairly small quantities 

223Ra is used in nuclear medicine to help treat bone metastases

Os vs Pr up next!

for more info about these polls, check out the masterpost

[polarmolecule]

I made a slightly illegible zine about bonding and pretended it was revision

[fun-factoids]

Fun Fact #40

The only letter that doesn’t appear on the periodic table is J.

[catsprobably]

I’m trying to read this one fuckin book for my literature class but my dumbass started thinking about decompression sickness that divers sometimes get and the physical chemistry behind it so naturally I looked up more information like the nerd I am and I couldn’t just absorb the information I took fucking notes y’all please help me why am I like this it is 11PM AND I HAVE TO WORK UNTIL 1AM I CANNOT BE THIS MENTALLY BROKEN ITS NOT EVEN MONDAY YET

[chemistryme]

Found at Pie Five in my hometown

[useless-science-polls]

ELEMENT TOURNAMENT:

ROUND 1 POLL 1

which is better?

yttrium (Y)

neodymium (Nd)

Voting ended onApr 11

info:

yttrium (Y) is a transition metal. its atomic number is 39.

89Y is the only stable isotope. it’s also the only isotope found in the earth’s crust!

Y is a component of phosphors used in LED lights

Y is also used in the production of electrodes, electrolytes, electronic filters, lasers, and a whole lot more.

exposure to certain yttrium compounds can cause lung disease

neodymium (Nd) is a rare-earth metal. its atomic number is 60.

Nd has one of the most complex spectra of any element (aka, it comes in colors!)

Nd is not found naturally in its metallic form or unmixed with other lanthanides, and wasn’t discovered until 1885

neodymium compounds are used as glass dyes, creating a reddish-purple color that changes with the type of lighting due to the way it interacts with light

Nd alloys are used to make high-strength magnets, widely used in things like microphones, loudspeakers, and headphones

Al vs Ra up next!!

for more info about these polls, check out the masterpost

[useless-science-polls]

ELEMENT TOURNAMENT:

ROUND 1 POLL 6

which is better?

europium (Eu)

neon (Ne)

Voting ended onApr 13

info:

europium (Eu) is a rare-earth metal. its atomic number is 63.

Eu is the softest and least dense of the lanthanides, and also the most chemically reactive!

pure Eu is not found in nature, partly due to its reactivity, but Eu is a component of many natural minerals

Eu’s phosphorescence makes it useful in production of television sets, fluorescent lamps, and lasers

Eu is relatively nontoxic compared to other heavy metals, but does not have any know biological uses 

neon (Ne) is a noble gas. its atomic number is 10.

Ne is abundant throughout the solar system, ranking fifth in cosmic abundance, despite being relatively scarce on earth

Ne emits a strong reddish glow, making it useful in production of glow lamps, high-voltage discharge tubes, and of course, neon signs.

Ne is theorized to be the least reactive of any element, even in comparison to the other noble gases

that said, neon compounds do exist! for the most part, they’re ionic molecules or fragile molecules held together by van der waals forces

Br vs Zn is up next!!

for more info on these polls, check out the masterpost

[useless-science-polls]

ELEMENT TOURNAMENT:

ROUND 1 POLL 5

which is better?

moscovium (Mc)

tantalum (Ta)

Voting ended onApr 13

info:

moscovium (Mc) is a transactinide element. its atomic number is 115.

Mc is extremely radioactive, and its most stable isotope (290Mc) has a half-life of only .65 seconds. that’s insane.

Mc is the heaviest pnictogen, with mass numbers ranging from 286 to 290

Mc is a synthetic element, first recognized in 2015

not a lot of properties have been confirmed about moscovium, given its quick decay, but it should in theory have significant similarities to thallium

tantalum (Ta) is a transition metal. its atomic number is 73.

Ta has an extremely high melting point (3017°C), and is commonly used in high-melting-point alloys

tantalum is named for the greek mythological figure tantalus

Ta is used in the production of lab equipment, such as reaction vessels and vacuum furnaces

Ta is highly durable, hard, and dense. it’s also very conductive of both heat and electricity, and highly resistant to corrosion by acids. tough son of a bitch, tantalum.

Eu vs Ne up next!

for more info about these polls, check out the masterpost