Chapter 6, Problem 35A

Interpretation Introduction

(a)

Interpretation:

The chemical symbol of a metal used in thermometers needs to be determined.

Concept introduction:

The chemical symbol is the designation for the element. It may be one or two letter symbol. Its first letter is always in capital letter and the second letter is always in lowercase. Some examples of chemical symbols are O for Oxygen, Na for sodium, Ca for Calcium, etc.

Answer to Problem 35A

A metal used in thermometer is mercury and its chemical symbol is ‘Hg’.

Explanation of Solution

Thermometer is an instrument used to measure temperature. Mercury is a metal used in thermometer which helps to measure the temperature of the body. Mercury is an element with atomic number 80. It is group 12 and d-block of the periodic table. The chemical symbol of element mercury is ‘Hg’.

(b)

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The chemical symbol of the radioactive gas used to predict earthquakes needs to be determined.

Concept introduction:

The chemical symbol is the designation for the element. It may be one or two letter symbols. Its first letter is always in capital letter and the second letter is always in lowercase. Some examples of chemical symbols are O for Oxygen, Na for sodium, Ca for Calcium, etc. Noble gases are the elements present in the group 18 of the periodic table.

Answer to Problem 35A

The chemical symbol for the radioactive gas used to predict earthquakes is radon and its chemical symbol is ‘Rn’.

Explanation of Solution

Given that the radioactive gas used to predict earthquakes is the noble gas with greatest atomic mass. So, first the noble gas of highest atomic mass is to be identified. The noble gas whose atomic mass is greatest is radon. So, the radon is used to predict earthquakes. The chemical symbol for radon is ‘Rn’.

(c)

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The chemical symbol for a coating for food cans and it is the metal in group 14 with lowest atomic mass needs to be given.

Concept introduction:

The chemical symbol is the designation for the element. It may be one or two letter symbols. Its first letter is always in capital letter and the second letter is always in lowercase. Some examples of chemical symbols are O for Oxygen, Na for sodium, Ca for Calcium, etc.

Answer to Problem 35A

Carbon is used in coating for food cans and its chemical symbol is ‘C’.

Explanation of Solution

To find the chemical symbol of the coating for food cans, the element of group 14 whose atomic mass is lowest is to be identified. Group 14 is the carbon group and the carbon has the lowest atomic mass, that is, 14 u. So, the chemical symbol for the coating is ‘C’.

(d)

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The chemical symbol of the transition metal that is used to make burglar proof vaults needs to be determined.

Concept introduction:

The chemical symbol is the designation for the element. It may be one or two letter symbols. Its first letter is always in capital letter and the second letter is always in lowercase. Some examples of chemical symbols are O for Oxygen, Na for sodium, Ca for Calcium, etc.

Answer to Problem 35A

Transition metals used to make burglar proof is nickel and its chemical symbol is ‘Ni’.

Explanation of Solution

The transition metals are elements present in d-block of the periodic table, that is, group 3 to 12. Some of the transition metals are iron, cobalt, nickel etc. These elements are called as transition metals because of their incomplete d-orbitals. Among the transition metals, nickel is used in making burglar proof vaults and chemical symbol for nickel is ‘Ni’.