Chemistry

Nitrogen

Discovery

• First isolated in 1772.
• Discovered by Daniel Rutherford
• Is the fifth most abundant element in the universe.

Common uses

• In the form of nitrous oxide it is used as an anesthetic. 
• Nitrogen tanks are used as paintball gun power sources.
• Used in steel production and high voltage equipment.
• The largest use of nitrogen is for the production of ammonia.

Nitrogen in living Beings

• Present in all living organisms; plants, animals and people.
• Is what allows plants to change sunlight into energy.
• The primary figure in amino acids.

Information

• Melting Point - 63.15 k
• Boiling Point - 77.36 k
• Phase at Room Temp - gas

strontium

Discovery

• Discovered by Adair Crawfordirst in 1790
• Mixed witherite & hydrochloric acid, didn't get the results he expected.
• First isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808

Common uses

• Used in the manufacture of color television picture tubes
• Used to refine zinc
• Combined with iron to make magnets.
• Two strontium compounds are used in fireworks & signal flares 

About

• alkaline Earth metal
• Highly reactive chemically
• Metal turns yellow when exposed to the air. 

information

• Melting Point - 1050 k
• Boiling Point - 1655 k 
• Phase at Room Temp - solid

lutetium

Discovery

• Was found after many separations of the mineral gadolinite.
• Found in 1907, credited to Georges Urbain 
• Was originally called 

Common uses

• Has no large scale practical uses
• Used as a catalyst in some hydrogenation and polymerization processes

obtained today

• Primarily obtained through an ion exchange process from monazite sand
• Which is a material rich in rare earth elements.

Information

• Melting Point - 1936 k
• Boiling Point - 3675 k
• Phase at Room Temp - solid

Lead

discovery

• Lead has been known since ancient times.
• Not considered to be a rare element, it is easily mined and refined.

common uses

• Used to line tanks that store corrosive liquids, such as sulfuric acid
• Used as a shield against X-ray and gamma-ray radiation
• Used in X-ray machines and nuclear reactors.
• Most of the lead used today is used in the production on lead-acid storage batteries

Ancient use

• Ancient Romans used lead to make water pipes
• In medieval times, used for roofing, coffins, cisterns, tanks, gutters, statues and ornaments.
• Strips joining the pieces of colored glass in church windows.

Information

• Melting Point - 600.61 k
• Boiling Point - 2022 k
• Phase at Room Temp - solid

Thorium

Discovery

• Discovered by Jöns Jacob Berzelius, in 1828
• discovered in a sample of mineral given to him by Reverend Has Morten Thrane Esmark

Common uses

• Thorium oxide is used to make glass with a high index of refraction to make high quality camera lenses.
• Alloying agent to improve magnesium's strength at high temperatures.
• Coat tungsten filaments used in electronic devices

Other uses

• Used to make high temperature crucibles.
• crucible - a pot in which metals or other substances are heated 
• to a very high temperature or melted

information

• Melting Point - 2023 k
• Boiling Point - 5061 k
• Phase at Room Temp - solid

Nobelium

discovery

• Radioactively and artificially produced in 1957
• Discovered first by scientists working at the Nobel Institute of Physics in Stockhlom, Sweden
• Credit was given to scientists working at Lawrence Radiation Laboratory

common uses

• Only tiny amounts of nobelium have ever been produced
• Nobelium's most stable isotope, nobelium-259, has a half-life of about 58 minutes.
• Currently no uses for it outside of basic scientific research.

History

• Scientists at the Nobel Institute of Physics in Stockhlom, Sweden
• Had a half-life of 10 minutes
• Lawrence Radiation Laboratory tried to confirm the discovery
• Had a half-life of 3 seconds
• Joint Institute for Nuclear Research also couldn't duplicate the original

information

• Melting Point - 1100 k
• Boiling Point - Unknown
• Phase at Room Temp - solid