Andree Sanborn

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Moseley had observed that element 72 was missing, but could not say whether it would be a rare-earth element or not (elements 57–71 were rare earths, and 73, tantalum, was a transition element, but no one was sure how many rare earths there would be). Bohr, with his clear idea of the numbers of electrons in each shell, was able to predict that element 72 would not be a rare-earth element, but a heavier analog of zirconium. He suggested that his colleagues in Denmark seek this new element in zirconium ores, and it was swiftly found (and named hafnium, after the old name for Copenhagen). This ...more
Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood
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