CHEMISTRY/COMMON CORE: INTEGRATING VISUAL INFORMATION

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A PEEK AT THE PERIODIC TABLE

questions1. Use your own words to describe the purpose of the

periodic table.

2. The text says that there are 114 named elements. Explain

why there are 118 boxes on the periodic table.

3. What is the lightest element on the periodic table?

4. How many elements are liquids?

5. A yellow box is used to show what type of element?

6. What type of element is strontium (Sr)?

7. Are there more metals or nonmetals on the periodic

table?

8. What property is shared by nitrogen (N) and

hydrogen (H)?

9. How are the elements with an atomic number greater

than 92 different from other elements?

10. Why are six elements on the periodic table placed in

gray boxes?

In “Name That Element!” (p. 20), you determined the identity of a mystery element using the periodic table. Use this skills

sheet to analyze the features of the periodic table included with the article.

BIOLOGY: PAIRED TEXT

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TITANIUM TRANSPLANTSIn “Name That Element!” (p. 20), you identified the mystery element titanium by using clues about its properties. In

this paired text, you’ll learn more about how the properties of this metal make it useful in medicine. Read the following

passage and then answer the questions that follow.

questions1. Which of the following BEST explains the author’s

central purpose in the passage above?

! to explain why titanium is needed to repair broken bones

" to explain why titanium is used in medical implants

# to explain how the body responds to foreign materials

$ to explain why joints wear out

2. Which of the following is NOT a property of

titanium?

! It is biocompatible.

" It is a metal.

# It helps the body’s immune system work.

$ It doesn’t corrode easily.

3. According to the article, why is it important that

medical implants be biocompatible?

! Tissues need to grow around the implants.

" The implants should not provoke an immune response.

# The body’s tissues eat away at biocompatible materials.

$ Biocompatible materials are light-weight.

4. Which of the following statements is NOT

supported by both the passage above and the text in

“Name That Element!”?

! Titanium is resistant to corrosion.

" Titanium can help mend broken bones.

# Titanium is biocompatible.

$ Titanium is a transition metal.

5. Doctors can’t easily replace or fix an implant once

it is implanted. Use evidence from the passage above

or “Name That Element!” to explain two ways in which

titanium devices meet this requirement.

METALLIC MEDICINE

Modern medicine might sometimes sound like science fiction. Today’s doctors are often able to

repair severely broken bones by supporting them with metal rods and screws that allow them to grow

back together properly. Other times, overuse or conditions like arthritis cause joints such as hips and

knees to wear out. Doctors replace those joints with artificial implants that are molded into the same

shape as the original joint.

The implants in these surgeries are often made of titanium. It’s estimated that each year, more

than 2 million pounds of the metal are used for implants worldwide.

In addition to being strong but relatively lightweight, titanium is biocompatible. Implanting foreign

materials can spur the body’s infection-fighting immune system into battle. The immune response

can damage the tissue surrounding the device, and the implant may need to be removed. But titanium

doesn’t react with the body’s tissues, making it an ideal material for implants.

Titanium also resists corrosion. That’s important because if the implant were to break down, it

could release chemicals that could be toxic or cause allergic reactions in the body.

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engineering: integrating visual information

VALUABLE METALIn “Name That Element!” (p. 20), you learned about the element titanium. The graph and chart below show some of the

ways people use this metal. Study the information and then answer the questions that follow.

SOURCE: /WWW.ESSENTIALCHEMICALINDUSTRY.ORG/TITANIUM.HTML

USES OF TITANIUM

Other

6%

Industrial/

Consumer

50%

Aerospace

44%

USE ADVANTAGES OF TITANIUM

Building Material

Some people use titanium as part of the design of houses and

other buildings. The material is nearly as strong as steel and

doesn’t corrode easily when it is exposed to rain. Many high-end

buildings, such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain,

owe their shiny exteriors to sheets of titanium.

Medical Devices

Titanium is a commonly used metal in the medical field because

it doesn’t react with human tissues. It is used to make many

surgical tools and devices, such as artificial joints that are placed

inside the body.

Aerospace Industry

Alloys made of titanium and other elements are used to make

many parts of airplanes. The metal is strong but relatively

lightweight. Lighter airplanes require less fuel. Titanium also can

withstand high temperatures without deteriorating.

Shipping Industry

Many materials corrode when they are exposed to salt water.

Titanium doesn’t easily react with salt water and break down.

Titanium is often used in structures that are exposed to salt

water, such as pipes and ship propellers.

QUESTIONS1. What percentage of titanium produced is used in the

aerospace industry?

2. Roughly 130 million kilograms of titanium are produced

each year. How many kilograms go to Industrial/Consumer

uses?

3. What advantage does titanium have for the shipping

industry?

4. Explain how titanium can help airplanes use less fuel.

5. What are two advantages of using titanium as a building

material?

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EARTH SCIENCE: PAIRED TEXT

MINING METALIn “Name That Element!” (p. 20), you followed clues to identify the element titanium. In this paired text, you’ll learn more

about how the element is mined and processed. Read the passage and then answer the following questions in complete

sentences.

A NEW METAL

Titanium was first discovered in 1791. But the metal was not used until relatively recently.

In nature, titanium is always found in minerals bonded with other elements. In 1940, scientists

discovered a method for obtaining pure titanium.

Titanium is the ninth-most-abundant element in Earth’s crust. But it makes up only roughly

0.63 percent of the outer rock layer. To mine the element, scientists search for rocks where the

metal is more concentrated.

Many of these titanium ores have high concentrations of the mineral rutile, a chemical

compound made from titanium and oxygen. Most titanium ores are collected in open-pit mines.

Workers use explosives and machines to break up the rocks, leaving behind a large hole.

To obtain pure titanium, the rocks are brought to factories where they are refined. The ore

is mixed with chemicals such as chlorine and exposed to high temperatures. These processes

cause the minerals to break down and the titanium to separate from the oxygen. To get ultra-pure

titanium, the material is then melted to further remove impurities.

QUESTIONS1. Why was titanium not used immediately after it was

discovered?

2. What is Earth’s crust?

3. Based on what you read in the passage above and in

“Name That Element!”, what is the best definition for ore?

4. What is the purpose of refining?

5. Think about some of the medical uses for titanium you

learned about in “Name That Element!” What is one reason

it might be important to remove impurities from titanium?