Chapter 13: Elements as Money
Katana Lowman
Chapter 13 Synopsis
In the book “The Disappearing Spoon”, in chapter 13 the main focus was on how elements can be used for trade and for money. The chapter tells about the history of trading metals and the elements’ origins. Chapter 13 also describes how money such as coins has shaped the world. This chapter admits to past counterfeits that have rose due to fake metals that look very similar to the other coins in circulation. Without the elements mentioned in chapter 13, the world would be tremendously different as we know it today.
The elements that were mentioned in chapter 13 were: Zinc; Gold; Tellurium; Europium; and Aluminium. The elements mentioned are all metals. In the beginning of the chapter, it is mentioned that coin trade began in ancient Turkey in 700 B.C. In today’s world we still can get payed for finding rare earth elements such as gold,(Au); and aluminum,(Al). As time goes on, and Earth grows older, rare earth elements will become even harder to find, and the cost for trading will rise exceptionally.Zinc (Zn)
- Atomic #:30
- Mass#:65.38
- group#:12
- Electron configuration: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10
- Classification:transition metal
- Where it can be found: ~Australia;Asia;&USA
- Named after: the Latin word Zincium (which is an unknown word today).
- Discovered by: Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheium
- Characteristics: ~tarnishes in humid air
- Used for: ~cosmetics
~batteries
Gold (Au)
- Atomic #: 79
- Mass #: 196.96
- Group #: 11
- Electron configuration: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 5d^9
- Classification: transition metal
- Where it can be found: ~Africa;Australia;USA;Mexico;&Canada
- Named after: "Aurum", meaning "gold" in Latin
- Discovered by:Ancient civilizations from Central America
- Characteristics:~very ductile
- Used for: ~jewelry
Tellurium (Te)
- Atomic #:52
- Mass #:127.6
- Group #: 16
- Electron configuration: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^4
- Classification: metalloid
- Where it can be found:~North&South America;&Japan
- Named after: the Latin word "tellus", which means "earth"
- Discovered by: Franz-Joseph Muller von Reichenstein
- Characteristics:~Can be added to lead to decrease corrosion
- Used for:~decreases corrosion& makes metals such as copper and stainless-steel of better quality.
Europium (Eu)
- Atomic #:63
- Mass #:151.964
- Group #: NONE
- Electron configuration: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^10 4s^2 4p^6 4d^10 5s^2 5p^6 4f^7 5d^1 6s^2
- Classification: Rare earth crystal
- Where it can be found: Europe
- Named after: Europe
- Discovered by: Eugene Anatole Demarcay
- Characteristics:~very reactive
~hard
~oxidizes in air & in water
- Used for: ~good absorber of neutrons
Aluminum (Al)
- Atomic #: 13
- Mass #: 26.98
- Group #: 13
- Electron configuration: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^1
- Classification: malleable metal
- Where it can be found: in the compound of potassium aluminum sulfate (a.k.a.
(KAI(SO4) - Named after: aluminum compound
- Discovered by: Hans Christian Oersted
- Characteristics:~silver color
~(very) ductile
- Used for:~packaging(ex.foods)
Overall Summary for Chapter 13
Citations
Kean, Sam.(2010).The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.Chapter 13.(pages 222-238).USA.Little, Brown and Company.
Gagnon,Steve.(NA).Jefferson Lab.The Element Zinc.Retrieved from: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele030.html
Gagnon,Steve.(NA).Jefferson Lab.The Element Gold.Retrieved from: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele079.html.
Gagnon,Steve.(NA).Jefferson Lab.The Element Europium.Retrieved from: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele063.html
Gagnon,Steve.(NA).Jefferson Lab.The Element Tellurium.Retrieved from: http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele052.html