Name That Element!

This element is found in seawater, rocks, soil, and the tissues of plants and animals—but never on its own. As an alkali metal, the mystery element is highly reactive. It combines easily with other elements to form compounds. In fact, no one had ever seen the mystery element in its pure form until 1807. That’s when English chemist Humphry Davy used electrolysis—a process in which electric currents break chemical bonds—to separate the element from a compound. Know the answer? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

This element is found in seawater, rocks, and soil. It’s even in plant and animal tissues. But it’s never found on its own. The mystery element is an alkali metal. It’s highly reactive. That means it combines easily with other elements to form compounds. In fact, no one saw the mystery element in its pure form until 1807. That’s when English chemist Humphry Davy separated the element from a compound. He used electrolysis to do this. In this process, electric currents break chemical bonds. Know the answer? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

To make leather sneakers, you need the mystery element. It’s used in the tanning process, which turns cowhide into a tough, durable material. Tanning prevents animal skin from decaying, says Michael Tunick, a chemist at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Skin contains collagen—a type of connective tissue that breaks down over time. But a compound containing the mystery element stops this from happening. That’s why the leather in your shoes can withstand all sorts of wear and tear. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

You need the mystery element to make leather sneakers. It’s used in tanning. This process turns cowhide into a tough, long-lasting material. Tanning stops animal skin from decaying, says Michael Tunick. He’s a chemist at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. Skin contains collagen. This connective tissue breaks down over time. But a compound that includes the mystery element prevents this from happening. That’s why the leather in your shoes can take plenty of wear and tear. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

Without the mystery element, bakers never could have concocted the recipe for lemon meringue pie. Chefs beat air into egg whites to make the pie’s fluffy meringue topping. To prevent bubbles of gas in the concoction from escaping—and the meringue from deflating—bakers mix in cream of tartar. This powdery baking ingredient contains carbon (C), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H), and the mystery element. Hydrogen and the mystery element are in the same group, or column, on the periodic table. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

Without the mystery element, we wouldn’t have lemon meringue pie. Bakers beat air into egg whites. That forms the pie’s fluffy meringue topping. But they don’t want gas bubbles to escape from the mixture. Then the meringue would deflate. To prevent this, they mix in cream of tartar. This powdery baking ingredient contains carbon (C) and oxygen (O). It also contains hydrogen (H) and the mystery element. These last two elements are in the same group, or column, on the periodic table. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

Liquid soap helps get dirty dishes squeaky clean. To make dish detergent, fats are mixed with a compound called lye that contains the mystery element. These two substances react, creating long molecules with a unique property: one of their ends mixes well with water and the other mixes well with grease. When scrubbing a plate, the oil-loving ends of soap molecules stick to grime. Then when you rinse, the water-loving ends lift the gunk away. All done? Score 40 points. If not, try the last clue.

Got dirty dishes? Liquid soap helps get them squeaky clean. To make dish detergent, fats are mixed with lye. This compound contains the mystery element. The fats and lye react. They create long molecules with an important property. One of their ends mixes well with water. The other mixes well with grease. Scrub a plate, and the oil-loving ends of soap molecules stick to grime. Then rinse. The water-loving ends lift the grime away. All done? Score 40 points. If not, try the last clue.

In the body, the mystery element acts as an electrolyte—a salt solution that conducts an electrical charge. The element helps your muscles, nerves, and heart work properly. But intense exercise can cause your body to lose the element as you sweat, says Michael Sanguinetti, a physiologist at the University of Utah. Some athletes replenish their body’s supply by eating bananas. These fruits are packed with the mystery element, which has 19 protons. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then continue.

In the body, the mystery element acts as an electrolyte. That’s a salt solution that conducts an electrical charge. The element helps your muscles, nerves, and heart work properly. But intense exercise makes you sweat. That can cause your body to lose the element, says Michael Sanguinetti. He’s a physiologist at the University of Utah. Some athletes eat bananas to restore their body’s supply. These fruits are packed with the mystery element, which has 19 protons. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then continue.