What If You Built Your Own Periodic Table?
TLDRIn a creative attempt to bring the periodic table to life, the video script narrates an ambitious project to collect physical samples or representations of the elements listed in the periodic table. The journey starts with easily accessible elements like hydrogen and helium, and progresses through more challenging ones, such as those found in everyday items like batteries and bicycles. The narrator humorously bets against the possibility of completing the collection, with the consequence of eating a disliked egg and cheese sandwich if unsuccessful. Despite facing obstacles with rare and radioactive elements, the project successfully gathers 68 out of 118 elements, all while staying under budget. The script highlights the historical significance of the periodic table's development by Dmitri Mendeleev, who not only organized known elements but also predicted the existence of others. The video concludes with a reflection on the impracticality and potential dangers of collecting every element, emphasizing the importance of understanding and respecting the properties of these substances.
Takeaways
- 🧪 The periodic table is a chart of elements that many people memorize in high school, but the video aims to explore if it can be experienced in a more tangible way.
- 🌟 There are 118 elements in total on the periodic table, and the video attempts to collect as many as possible, with a goal of at least 80.
- 💸 The project is started with a budget of $500 and a challenge to not go over budget or eat an egg and cheese sandwich if the goal isn't met.
- 🔬 A chemistry expert is consulted, who explains that creating a periodic table without specialized equipment is nearly impossible, but a collection might be possible with everyday items or mixtures.
- 🌱 Elements like Hydrogen and Helium are found in everyday items, with Hydrogen in living things and Helium in balloons.
- 🔋 Some elements can be found in common objects like batteries and bikes, such as Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron.
- 🌍 Essential elements for life like Carbon and Oxygen are ubiquitous in the environment, and elements like Nitrogen and Fluorine are found in soil and toothpaste respectively.
- 💡 The periodic table was developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, who not only listed elements but also predicted the existence of elements that were later discovered.
- 🛒 As the collection progresses, it becomes more challenging and expensive to find elements, especially the rarer ones like those found in cameras or fridges.
- ⚗️ Some elements are nearly impossible to obtain, either due to their radioactive nature or because they are used exclusively for research purposes.
- 📊 The video concludes with a count of 68 out of 118 elements collected, which is considered a success given the complexity and restrictions of the task.
- 🍳 Despite the challenge, the presenter does not have to eat the egg and cheese sandwich, as the project stayed under budget and was successful in collecting a significant portion of the periodic table elements.
Q & A
What is the periodic table and why is it important?
-The periodic table is a tabular arrangement of the chemical elements, ordered by their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties. It is important because it helps scientists understand the elements' behavior, their interactions, and it is a fundamental tool in the study of chemistry.
Who is credited with the creation of the periodic table?
-Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with the creation of the periodic table. He not only listed the elements but also arranged them periodically, noticing gaps that predicted the existence of elements not yet discovered.
What is gallium and why is it mentioned in the script?
-Gallium is a chemical element with the symbol Ga and atomic number 31. It is mentioned in the script as an example of an element that Mendeleev predicted would exist, including its atomic weight and properties, which were later confirmed when gallium was discovered.
Why did the presenter want to create a physical representation of the periodic table?
-The presenter wanted to create a physical representation of the periodic table to make it more tangible and interactive, rather than just a chart to memorize. The idea was to explore if it was possible to collect elements or their representations to create a hands-on experience.
What challenges did the presenter face in trying to collect elements from the periodic table?
-The presenter faced several challenges, including the difficulty of obtaining pure forms of elements, the high cost of some elements, and the dangerous nature of others. Additionally, some elements are radioactive or only used for research, making them nearly impossible to include in a physical collection.
How many elements did the presenter manage to collect and what was the budget?
-The presenter managed to collect 68 out of the 118 elements on the periodic table and stayed under a budget of 500 dollars.
What is the significance of the egg and cheese sandwich in the script?
-The egg and cheese sandwich is a humorous self-imposed challenge that the presenter agreed to eat if they failed to collect at least 80 elements or went over their budget. It symbolizes the difficulty of the task and serves as a light-hearted motivation.
Why did the presenter decide to use everyday items to represent some of the elements?
-The presenter decided to use everyday items to represent some of the elements as a creative solution to the challenge of collecting pure elements, which would require specialized equipment and could be dangerous or impossible to obtain.
What are some of the elements that the presenter was able to find in common items?
-The presenter found hydrogen in living things and plants, helium in balloons, lithium in batteries, carbon and oxygen in the environment, nitrogen in soil, and neon in neon signs.
What is the role of the rare earth metals in the periodic table and why are they difficult to extract?
-Rare earth metals are a group of elements that are not only rare but also very difficult to extract due to their similar chemical properties and the complex, multi-step processes required to refine them. They are used in various high-tech applications, such as in televisions, fluorescent lamps, and laser surgery.
What is the conclusion the presenter reached about the feasibility of collecting all elements from the periodic table?
-The presenter concluded that it is nearly impossible to collect an exact copy of the periodic table due to the existence of radioactive elements and those used solely for research purposes. Even a comprehensive collection, like the one Bill Gates reportedly has, likely consists of representations rather than the actual elements.
Outlines
🧪 The Quest to Touch the Periodic Table
The video begins with an introduction to gallium, a periodic table element, and the ambitious idea of transforming the abstract concept of the periodic table into a tangible experience. The speaker expresses uncertainty about the feasibility of this task but remains optimistic. They engage with people to gauge how many elements might be collectible, with guesses ranging from the high seventies to around 20 to 30. The speaker sets a goal to collect all 118 elements and humorously bets an egg and cheese sandwich if they fall short of 80 elements or go over budget. A chemistry expert is consulted, who suggests that creating a homemade periodic table without specialized equipment is nearly impossible, but a collection of elements in mixed form might be achievable. Armed with $500 and a determination to avoid the egg sandwich, the project to build a periodic table begins, starting with the easier and cheaper elements like hydrogen and helium, found in all living things and balloons, respectively.
🔍 Collecting the Elements: A Scientific Scavenger Hunt
The speaker continues their quest by exploring the possibility of collecting elements in a more tangible form, using everyday items. They delve into the history of the periodic table, highlighting Dmitri Mendeleev's significant contributions to its development. Mendeleev not only organized the known elements but also predicted the existence and properties of elements that were later discovered, such as gallium, scandium, and germanium. The video then transitions to the challenges faced in collecting elements for the homemade periodic table. The speaker manages to find or borrow elements like arsenic, which is surprisingly found in mushrooms, and several others from rows four to six of the periodic table. However, they encounter difficulties with more obscure and expensive elements like xenon and tellurium, which are used in specific applications like cameras and fridges. The collection process becomes increasingly challenging as they move through the periodic table, with some elements being nearly impossible to acquire due to their rarity or application in restricted fields like medical or nuclear technology.
🏦 Under Budget and Overwhelmed: The Reality of Completing the Table
Despite the challenges, the speaker remains committed to the task and manages to collect 68 out of the 118 elements on the periodic table, all while staying under budget. They reflect on the impossibility of collecting a complete set due to the nature of some elements being radioactive or solely used for research. The video concludes with a humorous touch, as the speaker, having failed to collect 80 elements, reluctantly eats an egg and cheese sandwich, which they describe as unappetizingly spongy and rubbery. They emphasize the importance of subscribing and liking their video to support their channel's goal of reaching 10 million followers. The speaker invites viewers to suggest future experiments, preferably less challenging than the egg sandwich, and ends on a light-hearted note, acknowledging the complexity and potential dangers of recreating the entire periodic table.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Periodic Table
💡Elements
💡Toxicity
💡Budget
💡Dmitri Mendeleev
💡Radioactive Materials
💡Research Purposes
💡Nuclear Reactors
💡Bill Gates
💡Egg Sandwich
💡Scavenger Hunt
Highlights
The speaker aims to create a tangible version of the periodic table, which is traditionally a memorized chart in high school.
The ambitious goal is to collect all 118 elements of the periodic table.
Bill Gates is mentioned to have the entire collection of elements in his office.
The challenge includes a personal wager involving eating an egg and cheese sandwich if the speaker fails to collect at least 80 elements or goes over budget.
The periodic table was developed as a scientific map to understand the elements' properties and behaviors.
Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with the invention of the modern periodic table and predicting the existence of undiscovered elements.
The speaker managed to find elements like Hydrogen in plants and Helium in balloons, which were inexpensive and easy to obtain.
Elements such as lithium, beryllium, and boron were found in everyday items like batteries and bikes.
Carbon and oxygen, essential for life, were present everywhere and thus easily accounted for in the collection.
The speaker explored grocery stores to find elements in common food items.
Arsenic, despite its poisonous reputation, was found in small quantities in mushrooms.
The collection process became more challenging and expensive as the speaker moved to less common and rarer elements like xenon and tellurium.
Some elements were borrowed or bought, such as gold, lead, and mercury, which were easier to acquire.
Rare earth metals like thallium and europium were difficult to extract and expensive, used in specialized applications like laser surgery and televisions.
Radioactive materials and elements used for research purposes were nearly impossible to find and extremely costly, like astatine with only 25 grams existing on Earth at any time.
The final count of collected elements was 68 out of 118, and the challenge was completed under budget.
Even Bill Gates' collection is likely to be representations rather than actual radioactive elements due to legal and safety concerns.
The speaker humorously concludes that it's probably for the best that they could not recreate the entire periodic table to avoid potential disasters.
Transcripts
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