Name That Element!

The mystery element is the second-most-abundant element on Earth after iron (Fe). It makes up about 30 percent of Earth’s mass, 89 percent of its waters, and 21 percent of its atmosphere. In nature, it’s rare to find a lone atom of this element. Instead, it exists mostly as a colorless gas made up of more stable diatomic molecules, which have two atoms bonded together. Game over already? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

The mystery element is the second-most-abundant element on Earth. Iron (Fe) is the first. About 30 percent of Earth’s mass is made the mystery element. It also makes up 89 percent of Earth’s waters and 21 percent of its atmosphere. In nature, a lone atom of this element is rare. Instead, it exists mostly as a colorless gas made up of diatomic molecules. These more stable molecules have two atoms bonded together. Game over already? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

Colorful bands of light, known as the aurora borealis, pulse across the night sky near the North Pole. “The lights scared medieval Europeans,” says Charles Deehr, a geophysicist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They saw the lights as a bad omen. But this phenomenon isn’t supernatural. It’s the result of charged particles from the sun colliding with gas molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, such as the mystery element and nitrogen (N). Both elements are in the same period, or row, on the periodic table. The collisions cause the molecules to glow shades of green, purple, and red. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

The aurora borealis are colorful bands of light. They pulse across the night sky near the North Pole. “The lights scared medieval Europeans,” says Charles Deehr, a geophysicist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They saw the lights as a bad omen. But this wonder isn’t supernatural. It happens when charged particles from the sun strike gas molecules in Earth’s atmosphere. These molecules include the mystery element and nitrogen (N). Both elements are in the same period, or row, on the periodic table. The strikes cause the molecules to glow shades of green, purple, and red. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

Acne is caused by bacteria found within pores in the skin. The microbes, called Cutibacterium acnes, eat sebum, an oily substance produced by the skin. Too much sebum can cause the bacteria to grow out of control, causing pores to fill with pus and become red and inflamed. One way to treat pimples is to apply a cream made with a compound that contains the mystery element. It kills C. acnes and helps unclog pores. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

Acne is caused by bacteria called Cutibacterium acnes. These microbes are found within pores in the skin. The skin produces an oily substance called sebum. The bacteria eat this substance. But too much sebum can cause the bacteria to grow out of control. Then pores fill with pus and become red and inflamed. One way to treat pimples is to apply a cream. It’s made with a compound of the mystery element. This compound kills C. acnes and helps unclog pores. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

Without the mystery element, there would be no cooked food, electricity, or gas-powered cars. That’s because all these things rely on combustion. A fuel like wood burns only when the mystery element is present. When the fuel is heated, it chemically reacts with the mystery element in the surrounding air to produce heat and light. In fact, this nonmetal is one of the most reactive elements on the periodic table. It will form compounds with nearly every other element. All done? Score 40 points. Still need help? There’s one more clue.

Without the mystery element, we wouldn’t have cooked food. Gas-powered cars and many sources of electricity wouldn’t exist either. Why not? These things rely on combustion. A fuel like wood can’t burn without the mystery element. When the fuel is heated, it chemically reacts with the mystery element in the surrounding air. The result is heat and light. In fact, this nonmetal is one of the periodic table’s most reactive elements. It will form compounds with nearly every other element. All done? Score 40 points. Still need help? There’s one more clue.

The Amazon rainforest is known as the “lungs of the planet” because it releases so much of the mystery element. Trees and other vegetation in the rainforest—and elsewhere on Earth—rely on photosynthesis to make food. Plants harness sunlight to turn carbon dioxide gas and water into sugar. During this process, plants also produce the mystery element as waste—which is good news for nearly every other organism on the planet. That’s because people and other animals need the mystery element to breathe. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then continue.

The Amazon rainforest is known as the “lungs of the planet.” That’s because it releases so much of the mystery element. Trees and other plants, including those in the rainforest, need to make food. To do this, they rely on photosynthesis. Plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide gas and water into sugar. During this process, plants also produce waste. It’s the mystery element! That’s good news for nearly every other living thing on Earth. People and other animals need the mystery element to breathe. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then go on.