[Railroader]

Neon lights?

[reader50]

Crack open a wall electric box and steal a small amount of wire. Pure copper, or very close. Remember to pay the electrician afterwards to fix what you took.

Better yet, find that old toaster in the garage. That the family wants to throw out, but Edna is fond of. Cut off and strip the power cord. Pure copper again, in most cords. And you'll finally be able to throw the toaster out.

Got any iodine in the medicine cabinet?

Lead tire balancing weight from your car.

Arsenic pest-food from the garage or garden shed. Probably not pure though.

Add flourescent dye + grey food coloring to white sugar, and melt into a coffeecake mold. Tell them it's an ingot of Plutonium salts (for safety in transportation), and prove it by turning the lights out. Love that glow.

[The Godfather]

Helium filled balloon
Diamond

[BadKosh]

Salt?
Propane
Butane
Chrome?

[lavar78]

Since I actually teach chemistry, I'll refrain from answering.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by reader50 

Got any iodine in the medicine cabinet?

Most likely not pure iodine. The stuff in medicine cabinets is an ethanol mixture.

[Nodnarb]

As Doofy said, you're teacher is 99% going to use this as an excercise to prove that elements are the building blocks of life, and are very rare in their pure forms.

You could one-up him and make this point as you are explaining the actual thing you bring in (thermometer?) ... although it could work both ways, he could either like you and think you're smart, or hate you for ruining his lesson plan.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by BadKosh 

Salt?
Propane
Butane
Chrome?

Salt = NaCL
Propane = C3H8
Butane = C4H10

Now chrome, chrome is elemental. You get a 25%. Stay after class.

[macgeek2005]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Dude. Have you read the link to the household elements I posted?

Yes, I have. Thanks alot for that. I used that as my list of objects that most would consider pure element, but actually aren't.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

Yes, I have. Thanks alot for that. I used that as my list of objects that most would consider pure element, but actually aren't.

I bet most people think that your sword is pure elemental, as well. Forged in fire by the ancients, passed down through history to the One True Warrior in each generation. Bring it to class!





(Seriously, don't bring it to class)

[pinenuts]

Originally Posted by peeb 

And methane is, of course, not an element.

It's CH4, which is one Carbon which has four Hydrogen atoms attached to it via single covalent bonds (2 electrons).

I know of ways to get you CH3, which would leave a - charge on the Carbon, but no way to make just carbon with a -4 charge.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by macgeek2005 

Yes, I have. Thanks alot for that. I used that as my list of objects that most would consider pure element, but actually aren't.

Yes, while that's true, and very clever in its own way, I doubt there are any pure samples of elements by that definition.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb 

You could one-up him and make this point as you are explaining the actual thing you bring in (thermometer?) ... although it could work both ways, he could either like you and think you're smart, or hate you for ruining his lesson plan.

I don't think a teacher would worry about it that much. If he's any good, the point isn't to defeat the kids with this request, so much as to illustrate how hard it is to find a pure element for reasons already stated in this thread.

[turtle777]

Bring pure genius, you have that in your head, right ?

-t

[Laminar]

*cricket cricket*

[Trygve]

Mountain Dew (Dw) Atomic number 135. Available at any 7-11 in at least 2 different isotopes.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Bring in a computer. The processor is made with pure silicon.

Not at all pure. The Si in a processor is intentionally made impure with a few different "dopant" chemicals. Boron is just about the most common dopant for silicon. If the device isn't made from silicon, it's made from gallium-which is doped with arsenic. Nice thought-the wafers start out absolutely pure, but they're insulators until they're doped.

[macgeek2005]

Well, it turned out he didn't use the assignment to prove that it's impossible to find something completely pure, even though all the students brought elements that were between 90% and 98% pure. And he liked my list of impure objects like the frying pan and stuff.

Thanks for the help!

[OwlBoy]

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey 

Gummy bears are pure deliciousness.

Honestly, this sounds like an almost impossible assignment. I would come in with a chart of how many commonly-thought-of-as "pure" elemental items really aren't (ex: pencil lead, your cast iron pan) and wow 'em with your moxie.

Both great ideas.

Gummy Bears for the win.

-Owl

[The Godfather]

Did anybody bring a He balloon?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

Neon lights?

Very few "neon" lights actually use neon as their gas. The distinctive color of neon in its excited state is reddish-orange, so as you can see, most advertising signs aren't "neon" at all. HOWEVER- red-orange glowing nightlights, the kind without a replaceable bulb (usually all encapsulated in plastic) ARE neon lamps. This is a really good idea.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by The Godfather 

Did anybody bring a He balloon?

I've have one sitting next to me. We got a bunch of them a while back and when I'm bored I'll breathe in some He before answering tech support calls.

[besson3c]

Is it true that helium is really a braincell killer and should be avoided at all costs?

[Laminar]

Well, it's used as an inert gas for scuba tanks, so I would hope not.

[nonhuman]

Helium itself isn't problematic to breathe, the issue is when you're breathing pure helium rather than a helium-oxygen mix. Obviously breathing any blend of gasses that doesn't include oxygen is problematic. the reason helium is often mentioned is that people will intentionally inhale pure helium which can lead to unconsciousness, so if you don't take proper precautions you could pass out in a situation where you really don't want to be unconscious (such as inside a giant helium balloon where you will then die from lack of oxygen).

[TheWOAT]

Go to GolfSmith, ask for some Tungsten weights for your brand new Driver... they cost around 2 bucks. Done.

I believe fishing weights were made of lead, look for those.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

Is it true that helium is really a braincell killer and should be avoided at all costs?

It's the same way they try to claim marijuana kills brain cells. It's actually just oxygen starvation, not poisoning per se.

[SSharon]

Even though you already had class what about bringing in a bag of chips. I think some companies fill the bags with pure nitrogen to extend shelf life rather than using a normal air mixture. Pringles does it I think.

Lots of mention of 23k gold, why not .925 silver?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by SSharon 

Even though you already had class what about bringing in a bag of chips. I think some companies fill the bags with pure nitrogen to extend shelf life rather than using a normal air mixture. Pringles does it I think.?

But you can't show it. All the kids see is a box / bag of chips It's not exactly show and tell friendly...

-t

[design219]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

But you can't show it. All the kids see is a box / bag of chips It's not exactly show and tell friendly...

-t

But then you share the chips, and all is forgiven.

[besson3c]

Well, time machines have Plutonium in it which is pure, so you could create a fake time machine and dress up like Christopher Lloyd if you really want that A...

Hopefully the teacher won't see this as ass kissing though.

[design219]

Yeah, there is probably an old Delorian laying around the neighborhood.