Natures Building Blocks Extreme Chemistry

Natures Building Blocks: Extreme Chemistry
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Natures Building Blocks: Extreme Chemistry
Elements are the basic building blocks of matter. I have learned that the reactivity of acids increases with the number the number of hydrogen atoms. Hydrocyanic acid or cyanide is used to extract gold from low-grade ore. I have also learned that gold is rare, malleable and unwilling to react with other elements. Copper is also a malleable and most economically significant metal since it’s applied in electrical wiring and electronics. It’s combined with tin to make bronze whose atoms can be seen under a microscope using a 100 Million times magnification which is mind blowing. According to Pogue (2012), the number of protons determines the type of an element and its position on the periodic table. It’s interesting that electrons rule the reactivity of elements.
I have learned that chlorine was used as a deadly poison in WW1 since it seeks an extra electron and would steal water inside lungs to form HCL. Noble gases are inert and will not react with other elements. It’s fascinating that alkaline elements like potassium and magnesium desperately need to get rid of one electron and would explode in water. Oxygen causes a bomb to set off where it interacts with elements like carbon and hydrogen when nitrates break down (Pogue, 2012). It also reacts with carbon atoms to form fire. I have learned that the interaction of oxygen and elements found in food produces energy which keeps us alive.

Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen sulfur and phosphorus, collectively identified as CHNOPS, are the most abundant elements. I have learnt that they form the basic building blocks of living organisms. The fact that carbon features as long chains in our bodies is very intriguing. Phosphorus forms ATP molecules used to provide energy. I have also learned that other trace elements like calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, sodium, and potassium are used for bone formation, carry oxygen and energy metabolism. According to Pogue (2012), cyanobacteria pumped oxygen on the planet and hydrogen atoms combined through fusion to form other elements.
Rare minerals are found at the bottom of the periodic table. I have learned that they are called rare earth because are hard to separate. These include neodymium, europium, terbium, promethium, samarium, lutetium and scandium. Neodymium is combined with boron and iron to form strong magnets. It’s interesting that sharks feel repelled by rare metals like samarium since they induce an electric current. This has been used as a basis to manufacture shark repellent for controlled fishing. Other rare elements are isotopes like carbon 14 whose decay is used to unlock the past.
Works Cited
Pogue, D. (Producer). (2012, April 4). Hunting the Elements. NOVA. Podcast retrieved from www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/hunting-elements.html#.WysbXeK4flU.email