It's rare, toxic, radioactive, and we have yet to find a use for it ...  it's protactinium! Learn the about protactinium's predicted existence, discovery, and properties from a knowledgeable professor. As part of a series of 118 videos about each of the elements on the periodic table, protactinium stars in episode 91.

Concepts

chemical elements, the periodic table

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Discuss in more depth why protactinium is located where it is in the periodic table when the atomic weight doesn't seem to follow the pattern of increasing

Classroom Considerations

• Avoid displaying the comments when sharing the video
• Relies on prior knowledge of Mendeleev, radioactivity, and the periodic table

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Shares interesting stories about a rare element that isn't discussed at all in most textbooks
• Discusses the timeline of related discoveries

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2 RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.4