Rare+Earth+Elements+by+Aniesa,+Anna,+and+Kiersten

media type="youtube" key="bYZ6sCDkooA" height="385" width="480"​

= __Family Name: Rare Earth Elements/Metals__ = = = Location on Periodic Table: Column 3; Rows 6 and 7 (Lanthanides and Actinides)

Atomic Mass: Depends on the element

Discovered by: Lieutenant Carl Axel Arrhenius in 1787

Valence Number: Usually 4 or 7 (it depends on the element)

Reactivity: They are not very reactive, but they are extrememly unstable.

Metal, Metalloid, Nonmetal?????? - Metal

Interesting Facts:


 * 1) They are usually silver or gray.
 * 2) China is the main supplier of the rare earth metals.
 * 3) The supply of the metals may be gone in years to come, because China is gradually keeping more and more for its own economic development.
 * 4) The first element to be discovered was Ytterbium.

= By: Kieresten Lovan = = = Element name: californium Element symbol: Cf Californium was named in honor of the University Of Berkeley, California Stanley Thompson, Kenneth street, Albert Ghirso, and Gleen T. Seaborg discovered californium. Discovered in year: 1950 Atomic number: 98 Atomic mass: 251.0 amu Melting point: unknown Boiling point: unknown Valence electrons: 2 Abundance: californium is a synthetic element that is not present in the geosphere. Common uses: 1. Neutron moisture guages 2. Portable neutron source for discovery of gold and silver 3. Well- logging: the determination of water and oil bearing layers Interesting facts: 1. When handling californium proper safeguards should be used because Cf is a strong nuetron emitter 2. Cf(III) is the only ion stable in an aqueous solution. All attempts to oxidize Cf(III) has failed. 3. Ghiorso bombarded 242-Cm with helium ions which produced californium. ** By: aniesa schulz ** Element Name: Uranium Element Symbol: U How the element was named: It was named after the planet Uranus. Discovered by: Martin Klaporth Dicovered in: 1789 Atomic Number: 92 Atomic Mass: 238 Melting point: 1132 Celsius Boiling Point: 3818 Celisus Valence Number: 6 Location on Earth: soil, rocks,oceans,and rivers.

Use Of Uranium: · Nuclear fuels · Nuclear Weapons · X-Rays · Gyroscopic Compasses · Cermanic Glazes · Colored Glass

Interesting Facts: First element that was found to be fissile. Crustal structure is: Orthorhombic. Uranium has half life of 760 million years. Uranium is an Actinide. Uranium was discovered in Germany. Uranium is the heaviset naturally occuring element on Earth.

By: Anna Tonsfeldt

Element Name: Plutonium Element Symbol: Pu Atomic Number: 94 Atomic mass: 244 Melting Point: 640 C Boiling Point: 3,228 C Valence Numbers: 4 and 7 (It depends on which element it is) Abundance: “Negligible” (There is such a small amount) Derivation: Named after the planet Pluto Discovered by: Glenn Seaborg, Joseph Kennedy, Edward McMillan, and Arthur Wohl in 1941 Uses: Power generation, “green technology”, poison, and nuclear weapons. Facts: 1. Over one-third of the energy a nuclear power plants produce comes from plutonium. 2. It takes 10 Kilograms of plutonium to make a bomb. 3. A small amount would cause death if ingested by the human body. 4. One kilogram of plutonium is equal to 22 million kilowatt hours of energy. 5. “The complete detonation of a kilogram of plutonium produces an explosion equal to that produced by 20,000 tons of chemical explosive.” 6. PU-232 has a half life of 374,000 years.

__Sources__

Adams, Mike. "Global supply of rare earth elements could be wiped out by 2012." //NaturalNews.com//. N.p., 2009. Web. 7 Apr. 2010. .

"Ask the Van - Illinois Dept. of Physics." //The Physics Van!// Web. 13 Apr. 2010. [].

Berry, Michael. "The Rare Earth Metal's Shortage." //Forbes.com//. N.p., 2009. Web. 8 Apr. 2010. .

"Elements Lanthanum." //ChemicalAid//. N.p., 2008. Web. 8 Apr. 2010. .

Helmenstein, Anne Marie. "Rare Earth Properties." //About.com//. N.p., 2010. Web. 7 Apr. 2010. .

"It's Elemental - The Element Plutonium." //Science Education at Jefferson Lab//. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. [].

"Plutonium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements." //Chemistry - Periodic Table, Chemistry Projects, and Chemistry Homework Help//. Web. 13 Apr. 2010. []. "Plutonium." //Periodic Table of Elements and Chemistry//. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. []. "Plutonium." //World Nuclear Association | Nuclear Power - a Sustainable Energy Resource//. Web. 12 Apr. 2010. [].