Mendelejev Posted May 9, 2005 Author Posted May 9, 2005 We should divide the contest into categories. the most important element: oxygen the most beautiful element: silver/copper the most unique element: mercury Well, my choice would be : The most important element FOR LIVING SPECIES : Carbon The most beautiful element : Cesium The most unique element : Mercury You know, I started this tread with the idea of finding a King of the elements. But it's clear that we can't chose ! And in fact, I find it better. Each element has his unique properties ! Gold = shining, yellow Mercury = a liquid metal Oxygen, carbond and hydrogen are so importent for life The alkali metals : so reactive with water Cesium : liquid, color of gold Fluorine : maybe the most reactive element of the periodic table ... I think, that's why element collecting is so fantastic !!! There are no borring elements ! We cannot chose a favourite but we certainly couldn't chose the most useless and borring element !!
Lance Posted May 9, 2005 Posted May 9, 2005 I can handle B.O. or potential death, but certainly not both at the same time!
entropydave Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 ....hey! You've all forgotten Caesium!! pale gold, melts in the hand and goes KerBlammo in air!!! what more could you ask for?!!
entropydave Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 ...ooops, just seen someone has mentioned Caesium!! Good - nice to see it wasn't overlooked! Now, where can I get some Cs?
H2SO4 Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 melts in your hand?!?! If it was in a sealed ampuol maybe, but otherwise it would probaly explode on contact with flesh. But anyway, ceasium is an awesome element none-the-less.
Mendelejev Posted May 10, 2005 Author Posted May 10, 2005 Now, where can I get some Cs? EBAY !!! You can find many Ebay-stores that sell Cs. (Emovendo - Smart Elements - etc.) Go see the thread "Sticky: So, you like to collect elements?" for more information on element-stores.
YT2095 Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 I like most all of the elements equaly (I say Most all because I can like what I don`t Know about, can I?). Carbon would be the logical choice because without it, life as we know/understand it wouldn`t be here to appreciate ANY of them. I must admit that I like Cobalt quite a bit, not for any "Mega" reason, just that I`ve been after some for a while, and Cobalt Chloride was the 1`st chem that really captivated my interest in Chem as a young lad.
quick silver Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 The most beautiful element : Mercury The most unique element : plutonium
Mendelejev Posted May 10, 2005 Author Posted May 10, 2005 The most beautiful element : Mercury The most unique element : plutonium Why UNIQUE ??
CanadaAotS Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 How bout ununseptium since it doesnt exist yet? lol
YT2095 Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 How bout ununseptium since it doesnt exist yet? lol that would be an entirely Different thread again (available here), search for Fictional elements in our engine 1
jdurg Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 I think an 'unrespected' element is Thallium. Being surrounded by mercury and lead, Thallium doesn't get the respect it deserves as a toxic, heavy metal. Arsenic always seems to get the labels as 'touch it and die' type of stuff, but in reality thallium is actually quite a bit more toxic, I believe. It's a moderately soft metal which rapidly oxidizes away in the air, but oddly enough it can be stored under water without any problems at all. Thallium oxide/hydroxide is quite soluble in water, but the metal itself doesn't react with water. Therefore, a heavily oxidized chunk can be stored in a vial full of water and all the oxidation will just dissolve away leaving you with a clean, oxide free metal surface. (Of course the water it's stored in then becomes a very lethal poison). But I don't think Tl gets all the attention and respect that an element of its nature deserves.
entropydave Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 melts in your hand?!?! If it was in a sealed ampuol maybe' date=' but otherwise it would probaly explode on contact with flesh. But anyway, ceasium is an awesome element none-the-less.[/quote'] yeah, I wouldn't recommend tipping out on my hand!!! I recently saw the effect of about 1g of Cs in a fibreglass bath full of water... there were no pieces of bathtub bigger than about 5 square inches! Bloody brilliant!!!!
budullewraagh Posted May 10, 2005 Posted May 10, 2005 cesium would actually burn your flesh off in a few seconds
entropydave Posted May 11, 2005 Posted May 11, 2005 cesium would actually burn your flesh off in a few seconds Yeah, wouldn't it? Jeez, nasty but beautiful.... like some women I knew!
H2SO4 Posted May 12, 2005 Posted May 12, 2005 Yeah, wouldn't it? Jeez, nasty but beautiful.... like some women I knew! lol. Do you by chance have the video or a link to the Ceasium plus H2O +fiberglass bathtub explosion?
Mendelejev Posted May 14, 2005 Author Posted May 14, 2005 Do you by chance have the video or a link to the Ceasium plus H2O +fiberglass bathtub explosion? Nope, but go check http://genchem.chem.wisc.edu/lab/PTL/PTL/Elements/Cs/Cs.html Nice video of Cesium in Water
dna mauro Posted May 14, 2005 Posted May 14, 2005 for me - carbon. the element of future, whit it it is possible to make almost everything and it is almost in everything we use(metals,fuels,gas,diamond,acid,plastic,electrical stuff,food,clothes etc).
budullewraagh Posted May 15, 2005 Posted May 15, 2005 cesium+h2o really isnt that impressive. potassium and, say, 15M nitric acid would be far more impressive and far cheaper
budullewraagh Posted May 15, 2005 Posted May 15, 2005 if i were to spend so much money on cesium with the intent to oxidize it rapidly, i would try to do it with pentafluoroantimonic acid or something of the sort
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