Understanding the Periodic Table
Where to Watch Understanding the Periodic Table
24
Superheavy Atoms and the Transfermium Wars
2021-07-16
In this lesson, turn to the very end of the periodic table and delve into the so-called "superheavy" elements. Learn about the contentious Cold War history behind row seven of the periodic table and how the quest to complete the table moved from politically fraught to internationally collaborative.
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23
Creating the Transplutonic Elements
2021-07-16
The discovery of the neutron in 1932 was a germinal event in the history of science. Soon after, scientists discovered how the combination of neutrons and naturally occurring elements can create new elements that cannot and do not exist in nature.
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22
Nuclear Fuel: Thorium, Uranium, and Plutonium
2021-07-16
At the very bottom of the periodic table, you will find some of its most radioactive and unstable elements. Now, turn to the seventh row and spend some time with the most abundant pair of "light" actinoids-uranium and thorium-and learn how instability and radioactive decay have come to define this group of elements.
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21
Rare-Earth Elements: Surprisingly Abundant
2021-07-16
It may be surprising that rare-earth elements are not all that uncommon compared to other elements on the periodic table. Instead, their most distinctive feature is a common geochemistry.
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20
From Coins to Toxins: Copper to Mercury
2021-07-16
Coinage metals look like other group VIII elements, but they also possess some properties reminiscent of alkali and alkaline metals. In this lesson, complete the d-block by delving into copper, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium and mercury.
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19
Magnets and Catalysts of the Middle Transition
2021-07-16
Iron is Earth's most abundant element while platinum and other noble metals are among its most stable. Learn about the history, fundamentals, and uses of the periodic table's precious metals.
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18
Colorful and Durable Early Transition Metals
2021-07-16
What makes precious gemstones so colorful? The answer: a group of metals from the d-block of the periodic table.
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17
The Table's Great Divide: Transition Metals
2021-07-16
The valley at the middle of the periodic table features one-third of naturally occurring elements-all of which are metals. What do they have in common and what sets them apart?
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16
Aluminum, Tin, Lead, and Other Weak Metals
2021-07-16
p-Block metals are faced with an identity crisis as they behave like metals and nonmetals at the same time. But why is this the case?
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15
Silicon and the Metalloid Diagonal
2021-07-16
Between the metal and nonmetal groups, you will find a third and more peculiar group: the metalloids. What specific properties-subatomic and beyond-do they share with metals, and how do they behave like nonmetals?
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14
Complexity of Carbon, Sulfur, and Phosphorus
2021-07-16
In the final set of nonmetal elements on the periodic table, diversity abounds. These elements do not behave like most nonmetals in that some can conduct electricity, form solids under standard conditions, and can exhibit a range of allotropes.
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13
Why Oxygen and Nitrogen Are Irreplaceable
2021-07-16
Among a sea of 118 elements, many of them novel and poorly understood, oxygen and nitrogen stand out because they are familiar to us. But what do we really know about their discovery, behaviors, and subatomic structures?
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12
Halogens: The Most Reactive Nonmetals
2021-07-16
Group 17 contains some of the most reactive elements on the periodic table. As you explore this group, become familiar with the halogens, a group of elements quick to combine with metals to form salts.
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11
Noble Gases: The "Lazy" Unreactive Elements
2021-07-16
Discovered in the 19th century, noble gasses stupefied chemists; these elements react poorly with themselves and other chemicals. Explore the history behind noble gasses starting with Argon, understand the conditions and methods that led to their discovery, and become familiar with the basic properties and behaviors of these unique gaseous elements.
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10
Enormous Variety on the Table's Right Side
2021-07-16
What exactly stitches the p-block of the periodic table together? In this lesson, get acquainted with the metals, metalloids, and nonmetals of the p-block, a collection of diverse elements that stretches from row two to seven of the periodic table.
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9
Magnesium, Calcium, and the Alkaline Earths
2021-07-16
After the alkali metals come the alkaline metals, a slightly less reactive group of elements. In this lesson, explore the characteristics of group two metals like calcium, strontium, and barium, and figure out why they oxidize slower and melt at higher temperatures than the alkali metals.
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8
Sodium, Potassium, and the Alkali Metals
2021-07-16
Despite the abundance of lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium in the environment, researchers did not isolate alkali metals until the 1800s. Here, focus on the elusive elements that make up the first column and major group of the periodic table and understand what led to their discovery and why they are so quick to combine with other elements.
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7
First-Row Opposites: Hydrogen and Helium
2021-07-16
Shifting gears, spend some time on the first and smallest row of the periodic table. Consider some important questions: What do two of the oldest, lightest elements-hydrogen and helium-have in common?
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6
Elements Break Down: Radiation and Fission
2021-07-16
A cosmic event is not the only way an element can transform. The processes of transmutation, radiation, and nuclear fission are equally capable of radically altering elements and their behaviors.
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5
The Origin and Distribution of the Elements
2021-07-16
Here, grasp how just three elements-hydrogen, helium, and lithium-combined to create new, heavier elements like uranium or sulfur through the complicated process of nuclear fusion. Also discover how natural and cosmic events like supernovas can lead to the creation of new elements through time.
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4
Periodic Trends in Element Properties
2021-07-16
What constitutes a "group" of elements? Are neighboring groups similar in some way? And beyond proton counts and electron valences, what other chemical and physical characteristics govern the structure of the periodic table? Better understand how the periodic table brings together elements with similar properties from the size of their atomic radius to their electro-negativity.
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3
How Electrons Shape the Table
2021-07-16
What gives the modern periodic table its distinctive shape? The answer: electrons. Understand the relationship between an atom's nucleus and its electrons, then discover how these peculiar subatomic particles-that do not always behave like particles-determine the number and type of bonds an element can make.
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2
From Triads to Tables and the Role of Protons
2021-07-16
The periodic table was a collaborative effort that spanned centuries. In this lesson, dig deeper into its early history.
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1
The Periodic Table: Our Menu of Matter
2021-07-16
Human beings have interacted with elements since prehistoric times. Yet large-scale efforts to organize these elements did not come about until the 19th century.
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Understanding the Periodic Table is a series categorized as a new series. Spanning 1 seasons with a total of 24 episodes, the show debuted on 2021. The series has earned a no reviews from both critics and viewers. The IMDb score stands at undefined.
How to Watch Understanding the Periodic Table
How can I watch Understanding the Periodic Table online? Understanding the Periodic Table is available on The Great Courses Signature Collection with seasons and full episodes. You can also watch Understanding the Periodic Table on demand at Amazon Prime, Amazon online.
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