Brain Teasers
Lithium
Fun: (2.29)
Difficulty: (1.47)
Puzzle ID: #39661
Submitted By: AndrewWalker Corrected By: Fire_Shell96
Submitted By: AndrewWalker Corrected By: Fire_Shell96
Science
Science brain teasers require understanding of the physical or biological world and the laws that govern it.Science
A boy ran to tell his father that he had found a chunk of lithium in their backyard. He said that it was pure lithium and it was very shiny. His father said, "No son, you found something else." How did the father know without even coming to see?
Answer
Lithium is an alkali metal. It is never found in pure form because it is so reactive. Also, pure lithium isn't shiny if it has been exposed to air for more than a few moments.Hide Answer Show Answer
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Comments
what fresh lunacy is this?
I though about Nirvana.
this was really hard
had to wrack my brain for the answer
had to wrack my brain for the answer
hard quiz. guess i need to study...
Wow, I thought this was easy. Then again, we went though this in science this year.
I thought it was pretty simple after a moment's thought... I started to think it was lithium oxide before realising it was alkaline...
Still, good puzzle.
Still, good puzzle.
it was pretty obvious... the only things you gave us is that the lithium is pure and very shiny. obviously lithium is this mineral or something and so the other part will be the shiny thing... so that means lithium wouldn't be shiny and that is how the father knew. still, i never knew lithium isn't shiny although I'm not a periodic table expert.
The real question is why did the boy think it was lithium? It could have been any of several lightweight metals that may be shiny - aluminum, vanadium, chromium - where and why did he come up with lithium? Has he been hitting his Mom's antidepressants?
im good at science and i knew by heart that fireshell would correct that
Lol, I got half of the reason.
where and why did he come up with lithium? Has he been hitting his Mom's antidepressants - No his batteries needed recharging
I just guessed that Lithium isn't shiny. I have no idea what it does look like though...
EZ!! But i think you could have left out the shiny part. Just saying that the boy found a piece of lithium and that his father countered him would be good enough.
Where did he come up with lithium? It could have been any metal that is shiny
Interesting science facts. The answer indicates that lithium is highly reactive in air, but what would happen if a chunk of lithium was exposed to air? Does some exciting reaction take place?
Annoying Chemist correction: the phrase "pure lithium isn't shiny if it has been exposed to air for more than a few moments" contravenes the teaser, as stated. At that point it's NOT "pure lithium," it's lithium which has reacted with air, or Li2O. It would also yield a bit of Lithium Nitride. Pure lithium *is* shiny. So. . .yeah. If he saw pure lithium (however that could have happened. . .the teaser doesn't specify), it WOULD be shiny. Close, but no cigar on this one.
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