Chemistry for Everyone
Elemental ZOO Terry L. Helser Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, SUNY College at Oneonta, Oneonta, NY 13820-4015;
[email protected] This puzzle uses the symbols of 39 elements to spell the names of 25 animals found in zoos. Underlined spaces and the names of the elements serve as clues. To solve the puzzle, students must find the symbols that correspond to the elemental names and rearrange them into the animals’ names. The answers to the Elemental ZOO are on the following page. Imagine taking a field trip to a CHEMICAL zoo where you must find the symbols for the elements’ names and rearrange them to see the animal. For example, most zoos have _ _ _ _ _ (calcium, germanium, sulfur) with _ _ _ _ (argon, boron, sulfur) to protect the animals. They have “CaGeS with BArS”, correct? Find the animals shown by your chemical tour guide!
The Carnivores’ Pavilion Our first stop is in the carnivores’ pavilion. To your left are the American _ _ _ _ _ (oxygen, tungsten, bromine, nitrogen) and _ _ _ _ _ (potassium, lanthanum, carbon, boron) _ _ _ _ _ (argon, beryllium, sulfur). To your right is an Asian relative, the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (uranium, sulfur, nitrogen; beryllium, argon). Small Mammals Small mammals are next, with the masked _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (oxygen, nitrogen, cobalt, radium, carbon) and its more exotic relative, a _ _ _ _ _ (astatine, iodine, cobalt). The primate exhibit is just starting. We only have one transplant (get it?) now, a _ _ _ _ _ _ (boron, molecular oxygen, nitrogen, barium). Birds On to the aviary . There’s the parasitic _ _ _ _ _ _ (copper, potassium, carbon, molecular oxygen), the common _ _ _ _ _ _ (oxygen, germanium, phosphorus, iodine, nitrogen) and black _ _ _ _ (tungsten, chromium, oxygen) . Don’t confuse the _ _ _ _ _ (carbon, neon, radium) on the left with the _ _ _ _ _ (oxygen, nitrogen, erbium, hydrogen), even though they both wade on stilts. Herbivores Next, we’ll see some herbivores. Among the tiniest—look closely; they like to hide—are the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (uranium, selenium, oxygen, hydrogen; molybdenum, uranium, selenium) and the _ _ _ _ _ (sulfur, hydrogen, rhenium, tungsten). From South America, we have a _ _ _ _ _ (iridium, tantalum, phosphorus), a relative of the African _ _ _ _ _ (rhodium, oxygen, indium), and next to it, a wooly _ _ _ _ _ _ (calcium, aluminum, protactinium). Inside you’ll see _ _ _ _ (xenon, oxygen, nitrogen), Asian _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (erbium, astatine, tungsten; uranium, aluminum, fluorine gas, boron, oxygen). Aquatic Mammals Don’t miss the aquatic mammals’ show! In the small tanks we have arctic _ _ _ _ _ (sulfur, selenium, aluminum) and a _ _ _ _ _ _ (ruthenium, sulfur, tungsten, aluminum). In a pool by himself is an African _ _ _ _ _ (hydrogen, phosphorus, iodine, polonium). He’s not very social. Fish To the aquarium! In the fresh water display, look for the _ _ _ _ _ _ (aluminum, molybdenum, sulfur, nitrogen) in the stream, and the _ _ _ _ (sulfur, boron, arsenic), _ _ _ _ (carbon, argon, phosphorus), and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (carbon, astatine; iodine, sulfur, hydrogen, fluorine) in the pond. That’s all! Hope you learned something about the elements in a zoo. Come again! JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 80 No. 4 April 2003 • Journal of Chemical Education
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Chemistry for Everyone Answers to the Elemental ZOO
Example Zoos have CaGeS (calcium, germanium, sulfur) with BArS (argon, boron, sulfur). The Carnivores Pavilion American BrOWN (oxygen, tungsten, bromine, nitrogen) and BLaCK (potassium, lanthanum, carbon, boron) BeArS (argon, beryllium, sulfur) with an Asian SUN BeAr (uranium, sulfur, nitrogen; beryllium, argon) are the carnivores. Small Mammals The RaCCoON (oxygen, nitrogen, cobalt, radium, carbon) and a CoAtI (astatine, iodine, cobalt) are small mammals. The primate is a BaBO2N (boron, molecular oxygen, nitrogen, barium). Birds The parasitic CuCKO2 (copper, potassium, carbon, molecular oxygen), the common PIGeON (oxygen, germanium, phosphorus, iodine, nitrogen) and black CrOW (tungsten, chromium, oxygen) are here. Don’t confuse a CRaNe (carbon, neon, radium) with a HErON (oxygen, nitrogen, erbium, hydrogen). Herbivores The tiny HOUSe MoUSe (uranium, selenium, oxygen, hydrogen; molybdenum, uranium, selenium) and the SHReW (sulfur, hydrogen, rhenium, tungsten) are hard to see. The TaPIr (iridium, tantalum, phosphorus), an African RhInO (rhodium, oxygen, indium) relative, and a wooly AlPaCa (calcium, aluminum, protactinium) are from South America. OXeN (xenon, oxygen, nitrogen) are Asian WAtEr BUF 2AlO (erbium, astatine, tungsten; uranium, aluminum, fluorine gas, boron, oxygen). Aquatic Mammals Aquatic Mammals include arctic SeAlS (sulfur, selenium, aluminum) and a WAlRuS (ruthenium, sulfur, tungsten, aluminum). The African HIPPo (hydrogen, phosphorus, iodine, polonium) is alone. Fish SAlMoN (aluminum, molybdenum, sulfur, nitrogen) are in the stream, and BAsS (sulfur, boron, arsenic), CArP (carbon, argon, phosphorus), and CAt FISH (carbon, astatine; iodine, sulfur, hydrogen, fluorine) are in the pond.
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Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 80 No. 4 April 2003 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
