38 Periodic Table Trivia Questions

The periodic table is a fundamental tool in the world of chemistry. 

It organizes the elements in a systematic and informative way, allowing scientists to understand the properties and behaviors of various chemical elements. 

However, beyond its scientific importance, the periodic table can also be a source of fun and intriguing trivia questions. 

In this blog, we’ll explore some periodic table trivia questions that will challenge your knowledge of the elements and maybe even teach you a thing or two along the way.

Let’s begin. 

Periodic Table Trivia Questions

1. Which element has the highest melting point and what is its melting point in Kelvin?
   
   
2. What element was first discovered on the sun before it was found on Earth, and what is its atomic number?
   
   
3. Name the only two elements on the periodic table that are liquid at room temperature (25°C or 298 K).
   
   
4. What is the element with the highest electronegativity value, and what is that value according to the Pauling scale?
   
   
5. Identify the element that has the most isotopes, and specify how many isotopes it has.
   
   
6. Which element is known as the lightest metal and also has the lowest density among all the metals?
   
   
7. What element, named after a famous scientist, has the highest atomic number that occurs naturally on Earth?
   
   
8. Name the element that was artificially created first and its year of discovery.
   
   
9. Which element has the longest name and how many letters does its name contain?
   
   
10. Identify the element that has the lowest atomic mass and specify its atomic mass in atomic mass units (amu).
    
    
11. What is the only letter that does not appear in the English names of any chemical elements?
    
    
12. Which element is named after the Greek word for ‘green’, due to the color it emits when burning?
    
    
13. Name the element with the lowest thermal conductivity, indicating it is a poor conductor of heat.
    
    
14. What element, discovered by Marie Curie, is named after her native country?
    
    
15. Which element has the highest atomic number of all elements confirmed by IUPAC?
    
    
16. Identify the element that was named after the continent where Europe and Asia meet, and specify its atomic number.
    
    
17. What element has the highest boiling point and what is its boiling point in Kelvin?
    
    
18. Which element has the largest atomic radius, and what is its value in picometers (pm)?
    
    
19. Name the first synthetic element that was created by bombarding another element with neutrons.
    
    
20. Which element is known for having the highest number of valence electrons available for bonding without hybridization?
    
    
21. What is the lightest noble gas, and what is its atomic number?
    
    
22. Identify the element with the highest known oxidation state and specify that oxidation state.
    
    
23. What element was named after the inventor of the periodic table?
    
    
24. Which element has the smallest non-zero electronegativity value, and what is it?
    
    
25. Name the element that is most abundant in the Earth’s crust by weight.
    
    
26. What element, commonly used in batteries, is the lightest solid element at room temperature?
    
    
27. Which element was named after the Latin word for ‘ray’, due to its radioactive properties?
    
    
28. What is the heaviest halogen, and what is its atomic number?
    
    
29. Identify the element that was first isolated by electrolysis.
    
    
30. Which element has the most protons in its nucleus and what is its atomic number?
    
    
31. Which non-metallic element is known for having the highest thermal conductivity?
    
    
32. What element has the unique property of expanding when it freezes?
    
    
33. Identify the element that forms a compound known for having the highest melting point.
    
    
34. Which element is the most abundant in the human body by mass?
    
    
35. Name the element that is considered the most electro-positive.
    
    
36. What element was named after the Titan of Greek mythology who personified the sky?
    
    
37. Which element has the highest density at room temperature?
    
    
38. Identify the element that has the longest half-life and specify its half-life duration.

Answers

1. Tungsten (W) with a melting point of 3422 Kelvin (K).
   
   
2. Helium (He), with an atomic number of 2.
   
   
3. Mercury (Hg) and Bromine (Br).
   
   
4. Fluorine (F), with an electronegativity value of 3.98 on the Pauling scale.
   
   
5. Tin (Sn), which has 50 isotopes.
   
   
6. Lithium (Li) is known as the lightest metal and has the lowest density among metals.
   
   
7. Einsteinium (Es), named after Albert Einstein, with an atomic number of 99.
   
   
8. Technetium (Tc) was the first artificially created element, discovered in 1937.
   
   
9. Rutherfordium (Rf) with 13 letters.
   
   
10. Hydrogen (H), with an atomic mass of 1.008 amu.
    
    
11. The letter ‘J’ does not appear in the English names of any chemical elements.
    
    
12. Barium (Ba) is named after the Greek word “barys,” meaning ‘heavy’; however, the correct answer in terms of ‘green’ is Chromium (Cr), from the Greek word “chroma,” meaning ‘color’ due to its colorful compounds.
    
    
13. Xenon (Xe) has very low thermal conductivity among non-metallic elements, but in terms of the lowest, Aerogel (not an element but a material) is known for its low thermal conductivity. For pure elements, Argon (Ar) is used as an insulating gas in double-glazed windows.
    
    
14. Polonium (Po), named after Poland.
    
    
15. Oganesson (Og) with an atomic number of 118.
    
    
16. Europium (Eu), with an atomic number of 63, is named after the continent of Europe.
    
    
17. Rhenium (Re) with a boiling point of 5869 Kelvin (K).
    
    
18. Francium (Fr), estimated to be around 350 pm; however, it is difficult to measure due to its extreme radioactivity.
    
    
19. Technetium (Tc) was the first element to be artificially produced in this manner.
    
    
20. Xenon (Xe) can use up to eight valence electrons in bonding under extreme conditions.
    
    
21. Helium (He), with an atomic number of 2.
    
    
22. Osmium (Os) with an oxidation state of +8.
    
    
23. Mendelevium (Md), named after Dmitri Mendeleev.
    
    
24. Francium (Fr) has the lowest electronegativity value, which is estimated to be around 0.7 on the Pauling scale.
    
    
25. Oxygen (O) is the most abundant element in the Earth’s crust by weight.
    
    
26. Lithium (Li) is the lightest solid element at room temperature.
    
    
27. Radium (Ra), named after the Latin word “radius” meaning ray.
    
    
28. Astatine (At), with an atomic number of 85.
    
    
29. Potassium (K) was first isolated by Humphry Davy in 1807 using electrolysis.
    
    
30. Oganesson (Og), with an atomic number of 118, has the most protons in its nucleus among the known elements.
    
    
31. Graphene, a form of carbon (C), though not an element in its graphene form, carbon is known for its high thermal conductivity among non-metallic elements.
    
    
32. Water (H2O), when it freezes, expands. However, the element in question is Hydrogen (H), as part of water.
    
    
33. Carbon (C), in the form of diamond, has one of the highest melting points. Tungsten carbide (WC), a compound of tungsten and carbon, is noted for its high melting point among compounds.
    
    
34. Oxygen (O) is the most abundant element in the human body by mass.
    
    
35. Francium (Fr) is considered the most electro-positive element, although it is extremely rare and radioactive.
    
    
36. Uranium (U) was named after Uranus.
    
    
37. Osmium (Os) is the element with the highest density at room temperature.
    
    
38. Bismuth-209 (Bi-209) has the longest half-life of any naturally occurring element, estimated to be over 1.9 x 10^19 years.