You're just a youngster. The only elements we knew at school numbered 
exactly 92! No transuranic elements had even been made known at that 
time, although Np and Pu were discovered (but were known only to 
scientists) before I left school. I think Pu was announced publicly 
while I was a mere undergrad student at Uni.

For the anecdote, I remember a discussion I had with my physics teacher 
about the new talk of "splitting the atom" and what it meant. I don't 
think he was really up to speed on it because I postulated that the atom 
was split in thermionic valves (tubes) and, above all, in cathode ray 
tubes and the like, because electrons were torn from their orbit, citing 
J.J. Thomson (yes, I was a precocious brat in the mid-40s!). He 
hum-hawed a bit and said that he didn't think that this was how energy 
was released in the recent Hiroshima/Nagasaki catastrophes. However, to 
his credit, he explained the outlines of the neutron chain reaction a 
week or two later; he must have researched the basics although he 
implied that radioactive substances all decayed into Pb. Meitner and 
Hahn had postulated transuranic elements several years earlier, but my 
long-suffering physics master had not delved that deeply into the 
subject, while he informed your obedient servant that neutrons could 
knock the bejabers out of the mix of protons and neutrons in the nuclei 
of U atoms. I can't remember whether he evoked critical mass.

Best regards,

Brian

On 03/02/2013 17:17, Mike Fenner wrote:
> It would be an interesting challenge for Dave to come up with new questions
> for the same answers. OTOH I don't remember the first set (apart from hardly
> any elements have a biological function! So maybe not :)
>
> If you had had somewhat of an ancient education like me you will have been
> taught there are only 96 elements, and perhaps thought nothing of it. Having
> said that I think some of the transition elements might be a challenge to
> construct questions for.
> Best Wishes
>
>
>
> Mike
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bev Christian
> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2013 9:54 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [TN] NTC Friday Element Quiz - The Answer
>
> Dave,
> Yes, please!  Run a new element quiz.  Thank you for doing it!
>
> Question: if there are 112 elements and there are only 96 weeks of
> questions, how did we cover them all?
>
> Bev
> Blackberry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Brian Ellis
> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2013 4:41 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [TN] NTC Friday Element Quiz - The Answer
>
> I appeal to FEQAB:
>
> a) I gave you the right answer to the element on 28 January, long before
> you asked the question
> b) I know you must have consulted my ancient website at
> http://www.cypenv.info/worldee/files/hydrogen/hydrogen_myths.aspx to
> know the true story about the Hindenburg disaster.
>
> Despite rumours, recent research showed that Alf Landon, FDR's opponent
> for the Presidency in 1936, did not send a hit man up the mooring mast
> with a box of matches. This conspiracy theory was sparked (pun intended)
> by one of the bodies on the ground having been burnt to a cinder. In any
> case, the draught from the propellers would have blown out the match.
> Consult the above link for the facts.
>
> Brian
>
> On 02/02/2013 05:49, David D. Hillman wrote:
>> Hi folks - Here is the Friday Element Quiz Answer:
>>
>> The Question:
>> The year is 1937. What is the element and the event associated with it?
>>
>> The Answer:
>> The element is Hydrogen (H.) The event was the crash of Hindenburg
>> airship. There are several theories on what caused the Hindenburg's crash
>> - one of the leading ones is a hydrogen leak in the rear lift bags of the
>> Hindenburg was ignited by static electricity generated by the thunderstorm
>> at the Hindenburg's landing site. The crash of the Hindenburg is often
>> cited as the cause of downfall of the airship industry.
>>
>>
>> The winner of the weekly element quiz is Doug Pauls, Rockwell Collins, and
>> he will get the services of Clumpy and Kloumpios for the week.
>>
>> The Friday Element Quiz Arbitration Board (FEQAB) has been reviewing
>> Doug's submission with both Scanning Electron Microscopy and Ion
>> Chromatography analysis techniques all day. FEQAB has come the final
>> conclusion that Doug's response was the first correct answer submitted
>> (they found no valid rationale to disqualify Doug's submission)! I saw
>> Clumpy and Kloumpios drive out of the Rockwell parking lot heading for
>> Doug's house when I was leaving work.
>>
>> And so we have finally covered 112 elements in the Periodic Table! It has
>> been lots of fun for me as I have gotten the opportunity to meet and learn
>> about many of the members of the TechNet community. We all use the
>> elements in our jobs in various ways and I hope some of the strange and/or
>> odd facts about the elements have made your work week a little less
>> stressful. I picked up two new books on the elements so if it is
>> acceptable with the TechNet community, we can start another round of the
>> Friday Element Quiz. FEQAB is also adding some extra research staff in
>> anticipation of Doug's future quiz submissions.
>>
>>
>> Clumpy and Kloumpios have accomplished many tasks over the last 96 weeks
>> for the following members of TechNet:
>>
>> Week 1 Lamar Young, SCS Coatings
>> Week 2 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 3 Drew Meyer, Benchmark Electronics Inc
>> Week 4 Ian Fox, Goodrich
>> Week 4 Gary Ferrari, Garrick Global
>> Week 5 Fredrick Miller, Astrola
>> Week 6 David Nelson, Raytheon
>> Week 7 Graham Collins, L3 Communications
>> Week 8 Bill Noel, ITT Geospatial Systems Division
>> Week 9 Steve Gregory of RD Circuits
>> Week 10 David Bealer of Watchfire Signs
>> Week 11 Dick Krug of Sparton Corporation
>> Week 12 Steve Creswick, Balanced Enterprise Solutions
>> Week 13 Gebhard Neifer, Delphi
>> Week 14 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 15 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 16 David Bealer of Watchfire Signs
>> Week 17 Brian Ellis
>> Week 18 Denny Fritz, SAIC
>> Week 19 Graham Collins, L3 Communications
>> Week 20 Mark Woolley, PTRL Laboratory Avaya
>> Week 20 Tom Carroll, Boeing Defense, Space and Security
>> Week 21 Brian Ellis and Tom Carroll, Boeing Defense
>> Week 22 Drew Meyer, Benchmark Electronics Inc.
>> Week 23 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 24 Steve Gregory, RD Circuits
>> Week 25 Ahne Oosterhof, A-Laser
>> Week 26 Scott Post, Delphi
>> Week 27 Brian Ellis
>> Week 28 Nigel Burtt
>> Week 29 Richard Stadem,GD-AIS
>> Week 30 Robert Wolfe, Kimchuk Inc and Graham Naisbitt, Gen3
>> Week 31 Bev Christian, RIM Inc, and Denny Fritz, SAIC
>> Week 32 Steve Mikell, supposedly retired
>> Week 33 Mark Woolley, PTRL Laboratory Avaya
>> Week 34 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.
>> Week 35 Joe Russeau, Precision Analytical Laboratories
>> Week 36 Patrick Goodyear, PGE
>> Week 37 Dave Elder, Tait Radio Communications
>> Week 38 Steve Mikell, supposedly retired
>> Week 39 Andy Giamis, Commscope
>> Week 40 Gebhard Neifer, Delphi
>> Week 41 Ian Fox, Aero Engine Controls
>> Week 42 Andy Giamis, Commscope
>> Week 43: Bev Christian, RIM, Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.,
>>            Patrick Goodyear, PGE and Richard Stadem,GD-AIS
>> Week 44 Patrick Goodyear, PGE
>> Week 45 Dock Brown, Medtronic
>> Week 46 Dock Brown, Medtronic and Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 47 Graham Collins, L3 Communications
>> Week 48 Mike Fenner, Indium
>> Week 49 Reuven Rokah
>> Week 50 Rex Waygood, Hansatech EMS
>> Week 51 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 52 Dock Brown, Medtronic
>> Week 53 Ian Fox, Aero Engine Controls
>> Week 54 Steve Mikell and Phil Anslow, MBDA Systems
>> Week 55 Brian Ellis
>> Week 56 Aleks Lozinsky, Technic Canada
>> Week 57 Tan Geok Ang, NA
>> Week 58 Gebhard Neifer, Delphi and Aleks Lozinsky, Technic Canada
>> Week 59 Rex Waygood, Hansatech EMS
>> Week 60 Torsten Hagge, Kristronics
>> Week 61 Joshua Muonio, Analog Technologies Corp.
>> Week 62 Dock Brown, Medtronics
>> Week 63 Torsten Hagge, Kristronics
>> Week 64 James Head, Crowcon
>> Week 65 Tom Carroll, Boeing Defense, Space and Security
>> Week 66 Lamar Young, SCS Coating
>> Week 67 Steve Creswick, Balanced Enterprise Solutions
>> Week 68 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc
>> Week 69 Denny Fritz, SAIC
>> Week 70 Mordechai Kirshenbaum
>> Week 71 Amol Kane, AsteelFlash US East Corp
>> Week 72 Lamar Young, Specialty Coating Systems, Inc.
>> Week 73 Keith Calhoun, Sopark Corporation and Joe Russeau, PAL
>> Week 73.1 Mark Kostinovsky, Schlumberger
>> Week 74 Tom Carroll, Boeing Defense and Richard Stadem, GD-AIS
>> Week 75 Graham Naisbitt, Gen3 System
>> Week 76 Ian Fox, Aero Engine Controls
>> Week 77 Richard Stadem, GD-AIS
>> Week 78 Blair Hogg, GAI-Tronics
>> Week 79 Brian Ellis
>> Week 80 Mordechai Kirshenbaum
>> Week 81 Brian Ellis
>> Week 82 Joe Russeau, Precision Analytical Laboratories
>> Week 83 Mark Kostinovsky, Schlumberger and Fred Cox, MET
>> Week 84 Tom Granat, BAE Systems
>> Week 85 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc
>> Week 86 James Head, Crowcon Detection Instruments Limited
>> Week 87 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.
>> Week 88 Bev Christian, RIM
>> Week 89 Tom Granat, BAE Systems
>> Week 90 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc
>> Week 91 Pat Goodyear, PGE and Joyce Koo, RIM
>> Week 92 Phil Kinner, PVA and Torsten Hagge, Kristronics
>> Week 93 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.
>> Week 94 Ravinder Ajmani, HGST
>> Week 95 Gebhard Neifer, Delphi
>>
>> Week 96 = Doug Pauls, Rockwell Collins
>> - assisted with ????
>>
>>
>> Everyone have a safe week!
>>
>> Dave Hillman
>> Rockwell Collins
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
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