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Topic: Periodic Table Puzzle  (Read 9495 times)

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officercloud

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Periodic Table Puzzle
« on: February 12, 2006, 01:05:01 AM »
Six unknown elements from the p-block are identified only by the letters T, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Each element belongs to a different group on the periodic table, but some share the same period.  Use a periodic tabel and the following clues to identify each element.

Clue 1: Hydrogen reacts with all elements except Element V. Some of the compounds that hydrogen forms are H2T, HW,XH4, and ZH3.
Clue 2: Oxygen reacts with all of the elements except Element V.  Two of the compounds that oxygen forms are Y2O3 and XO2.
Clue 3: Element W is a solid with a strong attraction for electrons.
Clue 4: Elements Z and T are both components of industrial acids, but Element T has a greater ionization energy.
Clue 5: Element Y is the first metal in its family.
Clue 6: Element V has the smallest atomic radius of all p-block elements.
Clue 7: Element T has electrons in more energy levels than Element X, but in fewer than Element W.

My friend and I have been working on this for about 2 hours that Element V is Helium and that Element X MIGHT be Germanium.

Can someone help us out please? If you figure it out could you post how you got it as well? I don't just want to know the answer, I want to know how to do it too lol

Offline Albert

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Re:Periodic Table Puzzle
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2006, 08:50:57 AM »
This is what I worked out:

V = He

W = I

Y = Al

X = C

T = S

Z = As

To be honest, I'm not sure about the last two ones: As is not as common as N and P. However, according to what you wrote about ionization energy, this seems to be the only reasonable answer.

However, if your book proved to be 'unfair' >:(, we can consider the odds of T standing for oxygen. In that case, Z should be P.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2006, 08:54:24 AM by Albert »

Offline FeLiXe

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Re:Periodic Table Puzzle
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2006, 03:07:24 PM »
how you find it out:
from the hydrides and oxides you can tell what group they are in
e.g. H2T - that meanst T needs two electrons to "be a noble gas" that means it's two periods to the left which is period VI-A or 16.

W: HW => forms one bond => it is a halogen
it's solid => iodine

Y: Y2O3 => it has three electrons to bond with
could be III or V, well it is III if it's an oxide like that
what's the first metal? B isn't, Al is
Math and alcohol don't mix, so... please, don't drink and derive!

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re:Periodic Table Puzzle
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2006, 06:03:45 PM »
Is He considered a p-block element even though it contains no electrons in p-orbitals?  I would think V is Ne.

Offline Albert

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Re:Periodic Table Puzzle
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2006, 06:10:29 AM »
Is He considered a p-block element even though it contains no electrons in p-orbitals?

Yes, it is. Even if I'm pretty sure there're many respectable scientists who disagree, Helium belongs to the p-block.

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