Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The Logic of Chemistry -- Here's a quick riddle for you

Elementary Discoveries

Four scientists, Cavendish, Moisson, Priestley, and Rutherford, discovered four elements, fluorine (F2), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), and oxygen (O2). Each of these elements has a different property: One is one of the least reactive elements, one is the most reactive element, one is the most abundant element in the body, and one is the most abundant element in the universe. Can you determine who discovered what element and what each element’s property is?

a. Fluorine, which was not discovered by Cavendish, isn’t the least reactive element.
b. Nitrogen, which was not discovered by Priestley, isn’t the most abundant element in the universe.
c. The four scientists are: Priestley, Rutherford, the discoverer of fluorine, and the discoverer of the element most abundant in the universe.
d. The element found to be the most abundant in the body wasn’t discovered by Moisson and isn’t nitrogen or hydrogen.

Dr. Bob Hanson

3 comments:

Karen Renneke AAA said...

So what is the right answer? Come students... post your comments.

Beth Abdella said...

Hah! Dr. Abdella thinks she has it! Such are the advantages of sabbatical leaves...

Aaron Chamberlain said...

This is what I have after 15 minutes of puzzling:

Cavendish discovered H2, which is the most abundant in the Universe (Which makes if you think about all of the suns)

Moisson discovered F2, which is the most reactive (Uhm, was there a doubt?)

Priestley discovered O2, which is the most abundant in the body (I like my blood)

Rutherford discovered N2, which is the least reactive (last option).