Name That Element!

In 1798, French chemist Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin first discovered the mystery element. It belongs to a family of minerals called beryl, which includes the gemstone emerald. The mystery element was later named after these minerals. In its pure form, the element is a silvery-white alkaline earth metal. But it can be difficult to find in nature. This element is hard to extract from ores, or metal-bearing rocks. Game over already? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

French chemist Nicolas-Louis Vauquelin discovered the mystery element in 1798. It belongs to a family of minerals called beryl. One of them is the gemstone emerald. Later, the mystery element was named after these minerals. The element’s pure form is a silvery-white alkaline earth metal. But it’s difficult to find in nature. This element is hard to remove from ores, or metal-bearing rocks. Game over already? Score 100 points. If not, read clue 2.

In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope became the largest observatory ever launched into space. Webb has a huge 6.5 meter (21.3 foot)-wide mirror to capture light from galaxies trillions of miles away. Engineers chose to construct the mirror from the mystery element, which is strong but lightweight. In fact, it’s the second lightest metal after lithium (Li)—which is found in the same period (row) on the periodic table. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope was launched. It became the largest observatory ever sent into space. Webb has a huge 6.5 meter (21.3 foot)-wide mirror. It captures light from galaxies trillions of miles away. Engineers built the mirror from the mystery element. They chose it because it’s strong but lightweight. In fact, it’s the second lightest metal after lithium (Li). Both elements are in the same period (row) on the periodic table. Figured it out? Score 80 points. Still playing? Check out clue 3.

Inside an audio speaker, a cone-shaped diaphragm vibrates to produce sound waves. If the material that makes up the diaphragm doesn’t maintain its shape over time, the sound it emits becomes distorted. That’s why some high-end speakers contain diaphragms made of the mystery element, which has six times the stiffness of steel. These speakers produce “magnificent sound,” says Maurits Bruggink, a spokesperson for a trade group for the mystery element. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

An audio speaker contains a cone-shaped diaphragm. It vibrates to produce sound waves. The diaphragm’s material needs to maintain its shape over time. If it doesn’t, it produces distorted sound. So some high-end speakers contain diaphragms made of the mystery element. It has six times the stiffness of steel. These speakers produce “magnificent sound,” says Maurits Bruggink. He’s a spokesperson for a trade group for the mystery element. Got it? Score 60 points. Not sure? Try the next clue.

The mystery element helps keep people safe in a car crash. During a collision, an electrical signal triggers a vehicle’s airbags to inflate. This signal travels through connectors often made of an alloy, or metallic mixture, of the mystery element and the metal copper (Cu). “When you add a little bit of [the mystery element], it makes copper much harder,” says chemist Mark Jones. That makes for durable connectors you can count on in an emergency. All done? Score 40 points. Still need help? There’s one last clue.

The mystery element helps keep people safe in a car crash. An electrical signal triggers a vehicle’s airbags to inflate during a crash. This signal travels through connectors. They’re often made of an alloy, or metallic mixture, of the mystery element and the metal copper (Cu). “When you add a little bit of [the mystery element], it makes copper much harder,” says chemist Mark Jones. That makes for sturdy connectors. You can count on them in an emergency. All done? Score 40 points. Still need help? There’s one last clue.

Doctors use medical imaging scanners to diagnose certain health problems. Some of these devices use X-rays—high-energy waves of electromagnetic radiation—to create 3-D images of areas inside a person’s body. X-rays exit the scanner via a tiny window made of the mystery element. The mystery element has only four protons in its nucleus. Its low density—or mass per volume—means X-rays pass right through it. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then continue.

Doctors use medical imaging scanners to diagnose certain health problems. Some of these devices use X-rays to create 3-D images of areas inside the body. X-rays are high-energy waves of electromagnetic radiation. They exit the scanner through a tiny window. It’s made of the mystery element. This element has only four protons in its nucleus. That gives it low density, or mass per volume. So X-rays pass right through it. Write your answer and score 20 points. Then continue.