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Astatine, a rare and intriguing chemical element, stands out in the periodic table due to its lack of stable isotopes and its radioactive nature. Its most stable isotope, astatine-210, has a fleeting half-life of 8.1 hours, making it a subject of fascination and mystery in the scientific world. Although astatine . . . Read more
Hafnium is a shiny, silvery metal that is corrosion resistant. IT is a chemical element and is represented by the atomic number 72 and the chemical symbol Hf. It is not found in its free form on Earth, but it can be found combined with zirconium in most naturally occurring . . . Read more
Lanthanum is a soft and malleable, silver-white metal that oxidises quickly in air. It is a chemical element and is represented by the atomic number 57 and the chemical symbol La. Due to the fact that it oxidizes, it is never found in its free form in nature. However, it . . . Read more
Actinium is a soft, radioactive silvery-white metal at room temperature with a characteristic blue light glow. It is a chemical element with the atomic number 89 and is represented by the symbol Ac. Actinium is only found in small traces on the planet and it is only found in uranium . . . Read more
Germanium is a hard gray-white metal that is similar in appearance to silicon although, unlike silicon, it is never found naturally in its free form on Earth. It is a chemical element with the atomic number 32 and is represented by the chemical symbol Ge. It is a relatively rare . . . Read more
Lutetium is a silvery white metal that corrodes in moist atmospheric conditions. It is a chemical element and is represented by the symbol Lu and the atomic number 71. It is considered to be a rare earth element and occurs at just 0.5mg/kg in the crust of the earth. It . . . Read more
Dysprosium is a soft, bright silver, rare earth element that is never found in free form in nature. However, it is found as a part of many minerals, usually along with other rare earth elements. It is a chemical element with the atomic number 66 and is represented by the chemical symbol Dy. It occurs at about 5.2mg/kg in the crust of the Earth. It is most commonly produced as a by-product during the extraction of the element yttrium. The largest amounts of dysprosium are mined in China, but large deposits are thought to be found in the north of Western Australia. Let’s find out who discovered this rare element.
Thulium is a bright silvery-gray metal that tarnishes in air slowly. It is a chemical element and has the atomic number of 69 and the chemical symbol Tm. It is an extremely soft metal and can be cut with a knife. It is an extremely rare element and is only found in trace amounts in the crust of the Earth. It is never found in its free form in nature, but is found in minute quantities in certain minerals. The most common minerals where it is found are gadolinite, monazite (the most important commercial source of this element), xenotime and euxenite. The largest reserves of this metal are found in China. Let’s find out who discovered this rare element.
Terbium is a soft, silvery-white metal that is never found in free form in nature. However, it is found naturally in a number of minerals, along with other rare earth elements, and it is estimated that about 1.2 mg of terbium per kilogram is found in the crust of the Earth. Terbium is a chemical element and is represented by the chemical symbol Tb and the atomic number 65. Terbium has few uses, but is mined in small amounts each year. The largest reserves of the metal are found in Southern China and the most important mineral for the commercial extraction of terbium is bastnäsite (bastnaesite). Let’s find out who discovered this element.
Praseodymium is a soft, silver metal that is highly reactive. It oxidizes in air to form a flaky green coating which falls off the outside of the metal. This means that any pure metal that is produced must be stored in mineral oil or glass. It is a chemical element with the atomic number 59 and the chemical symbol Pr. It is never found in its free form in nature, because it is too reactive, but can be found in certain minerals. It is commonly found in the rare earth minerals bastnäsite (bastnaesite) and monazite. Praseodymium is a rare element and only small amounts are produced each year. Let’s find out who discovered this element.