Or, how were the earliest elements discovered, and how were they known to be elements?
2007-11-02 10:27:49 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
An element is a pure substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by chemical means.
From ancient times, copper, tin, iron, sulfur, mercury were isolated and known to be elements, because all compounds came from them, and compounds could be reduced to their elements.
As late as the 1800's, soda and potash were thought to be elements, because everything seemed to come from them. Then in 1807, Sir Humphrey Davy passed electricity through melted sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide and isolated sodium and potassium metals. So he discovered those elements.
Today, elements are discovered, or rather invented, by bombardment of heavy nuclei by other heavy nuclei in an accelerator. Alot of the bombarding nucleus is absorbed by the target nucleus, and there is hope to "make" a nucleus of an element beyond atomic numbers of yesterday.
2007-11-02 11:10:51 · answer #1 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
where can I get some from, I need to put some in my shoes to keep my feet on the ground, only all these helium filled balloons I'm trying to sell are trying to make me airborne which I could do without just now because I took some senna pods this morning as I hadn't been to the toilet for a few weeks and if I get lifted into the air then god help anybody that might happen to be below me, its started to get a bit windy nowwwwwwwwwwwww, helpppp HELP LOOK OUTTTTTTTT
2016-04-02 01:10:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Experiments probably! then different people started putting them in to groups ( of simular results) until one was choosen to be the correct on which is the one we use today
2007-11-02 11:04:31 · answer #3 · answered by welsh_chick_91 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋