Taking a Seat at the Periodic Table.xml NESTR_schema.xsd (Version 2)

Taking a Seat at the Periodic Table

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Description: Blog post exploring the history of the names of the elements in the periodic table to celebrate the recently announced official names for elements with atomic numbers 113 (nihonium), 115 (moscovium), 117 (tennessine) and 118 (oganesson)
Teaching tips:
  • 5 to 30 minutes teaching time
  • Discuss how the periodic table classifies elements. Review that rows are called periods, columns are called groups, metals are located on the left, non-metals on the right.
  • Discuss how chemists use the position of an element in the periodic table to accomplish their work.
  • Identify the location of several elements on the periodic table. Discuss at least 3 significant characteristics of these elements. Compare and contrast multiple elements.
  • What are the requirements for naming an element?
  • The 118 elements for which we have names got them from 17 different languages, with Greek (47) and Latin (26) leading the pack.
  • What’s your favorite element? Explain why.
Resource owner information:
  • Michael E. Newman
  • [email protected]
  • NIST
  • 10 - Director's Office (NISTDO)
  • 107 - Public Affairs Office
Resource dates:
  • Created on February 07, 2017
  • Reviewed on January 05, 2023
Resource type:
  • Educational Resource: Article
Resource format:
  • Text
School subjects:
  • STEM: Chemistry
  • STEM: Engineering
  • STEM: Physics
  • STEM: Mathematics
  • STEM: Physical Science (General)
  • Other: Social Sciences
Keywords:
  • chemistry
  • electronics
  • engineering
  • information technology
  • materials
  • physics
Topic:
  • Research at NIST: Standards
Instructional levels:
  • High School (9-12)
  • Career and Tech Ed
Target audiences:
  • Students
  • Educators
  • Parents
  • Professionals
  • Outreach Ambassadors
  • General Public